Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Ratings and technical competence
30% weight
Verify Part 107 certification, any BVLOS or Part 91 waivers held, and hands-on time with UTM or USS platforms, LAANC authorisation flows, Remote ID feeds and ASTM F3548 deconfliction.
Evidence to listen for
Holds the current ratings, licences, or endorsements the position requires
Knows the rules, minima, and standards cold, not approximately
Familiar with the equipment and airspace, network, or plant in question
Clear on the boundary of their own authority
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Lacks required ratings, or shaky on the standards that keep people alive.
2
Needs Improvement
Holds the ticket but hesitant on rules and minima.
3
Satisfactory
Competent and current; slower on unfamiliar configurations.
4
Very Good
Rules and minima are second nature; strong on the specific environment.
5
Excellent
Holds current Part 107 with waiver experience, names specific UTM/USS consoles operated, and explains strategic versus tactical deconfliction accurately.
02
Evaluation factor
Situational awareness under load
30% weight
Probe how many simultaneous flights they have monitored, how they handled overlapping operational volumes, lost-link events, and manned aircraft incursions in controlled or Class G airspace.
Evidence to listen for
Keeps the whole picture while handling one problem
Describes how they shed or reprioritise tasks when volume spikes
Notices the thing that has gone quiet, not just the thing that is loud
Knows their own saturation point and says so before reaching it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Tunnel vision under load; loses the wider picture entirely.
2
Needs Improvement
Copes at normal volume; degrades badly when it spikes.
3
Satisfactory
Holds the picture in most conditions; occasional fixation.
4
Very Good
Maintains awareness under high load and reprioritises deliberately.
5
Excellent
Describes concrete traffic loads, scanning routines across multiple corridors, and early detection of conflicts before separation minima were breached.
03
Evaluation factor
Decisions under pressure
25% weight
Test judgement on flyaways, GPS spoofing, sudden TFRs or NOTAM changes, and weather cutoffs: who they ground, when they call ATC, and what they log.
Evidence to listen for
Decides on incomplete information rather than freezing
Chooses the safe option when uncertain, and can say why
Recovers from their own error without concealing it
Can describe a real event where they made the call
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Freezes, or gambles when the safe option was available.
2
Needs Improvement
Slow to commit; defers decisions that were theirs to make.
3
Satisfactory
Decides adequately in familiar situations.
4
Very Good
Decides quickly and safely, and owns errors openly.
5
Excellent
Recalls specific stand-down or diversion calls with reasoning, escalation thresholds, and the post-event report or ASRS filing that followed.
04
Evaluation factor
Communication discipline
15% weight
Assess phraseology discipline with remote pilots, handoffs between shifts, and coordination with tower or TRACON; ask about their logging conventions and shift briefing content.
Evidence to listen for
Uses standard phraseology and readback discipline without shortcuts
Hands over completely, including what is unresolved
Speaks up to someone senior when safety requires it
Stays measured on the loop when the situation is not
