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 or A2 CofC certification, logged flight hours by airframe (DJI M300, Matrice 4E, fixed-wing VTOL), plus payload work: RTK mapping, thermal, LiDAR.
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
Names airframes flown, quotes logged hours and mission types, and explains RTK base setup or thermal calibration without prompting.
02
Evaluation factor
Situational awareness under load
30% weight
Probe how they scan for hazards mid-flight: crewed traffic, signal loss, wind gradients near structures, battery voltage sag, and when they hand off to a visual observer.
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 a live flight where they caught degrading GPS HDOP or inbound traffic early and altered the mission before it became urgent.
03
Evaluation factor
Decisions under pressure
25% weight
Test their response to flyaways, RTH failure over water or crowds, and lost link. Ask about aborted missions and how they judged weather against LAANC or NOTAM constraints.
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
Recounts a specific abort or emergency landing, states the deciding factor, and shows they scrub flights when conditions breach their own minimums.
04
Evaluation factor
Communication discipline
15% weight
Assess radio and crew coordination: briefing visual observers, ATC or tower calls in controlled airspace, incident reporting, and how flight logs and site risk assessments are recorded.
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
