# The new air traffic controller: managing delivery drones

> As delivery drones fill the skies over Dallas, a new job has emerged: remote pilots who coordinate fleets and keep them safe.
- Title: The new air traffic controller: managing delivery drones
- Summary: As delivery drones fill the skies over Dallas, a new job has emerged: remote pilots who coordinate fleets and keep them safe. Trevor Wischnewsky works as a…
- Keywords: trevor wischnewsky, flytrex, delivery drones, remote pilot in command, dallas, air traffic management, future jobs, technology, science, air, traffic, controller
- Source: MIT Technology Review — https://technologyreview.com/2026/10/09/1145737/job-titles-delivery-drone-air-traffic-controller-trevor-wischnewsky
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: trevor wischnewsky, flytrex, delivery drones, remote pilot in command, dallas, air traffic management, future jobs, technology, science
## Pizza delivery sparked a career
Trevor Wischnewsky decided to pursue a new job after seeing drones deliver pizza and sushi around his Texas neighborhood. He says it was super fascinating and he immediately wanted to be a part of it.

> It was super fascinating. I just immediately wanted to be a part of it.
## Meet the remote pilot in command
Wischnewsky is now an RPIC, or remote pilot in command, at FlyTrex. He coordinates fleets of hexacopter drones delivering cargo within a three-mile radius and manages traffic with competing drones from Zipline, Amazon, and Alphabet's…
## The job requires serious credentials
FlyTrex requires applicants to hold FAA certification as a drone pilot and complete a weeks-long FAA-approved training course. Wischnewsky was already in training to become a commercial pilot and flight instructor when he applied.
## Automation and coordination matter most
The Dallas-Fort Worth area is a testing ground for unmanned aircraft systems traffic management, or UTM, a network that lets autonomous drones share coordinates in real time to avoid collisions.
## Weather is the real challenge
Wischnewsky manages up to ten drones at once and must stay calm under pressure. He once had to intervene when wind picked up suddenly, returning a drone safely and preventing an ice cream cake from…

> You're there as a safety net.
## Key takeaway

Trevor Wischnewsky works as a remote pilot in command at FlyTrex, coordinating delivery drone traffic over Dallas alongside competitors like Amazon and Wing.