By: Patrick Ryan
Benjamin Kabelik
Dept. Head of Remote-Sensing Services & CIO at Airborne Technologies GmbH, Austria
Last month, I had the pleasure of meeting and sitting down with a fellow ASOGer, Benjamin Kabelik, at Airborne Technologies (ABT) on one of my consulting office calls. I thought it would be great to take a moment to capture and share his thoughts on the Airborne Sensor Operator profession and the industry ASO’s work in, in this case, aerial mapping and surveying.
What is your job and how did you end up in this career field / position?
I’m the Department Head of Airborne Technologies data-solutions and airborne surveillance services. I’ve been working for ABT over 10 years with ever growing opportunities and responsibilities. I never pictured myself being in this position when I was at University. However, I’m very happy with how my career has progressed in this field. I started my career studying mechanical/electrical engineering and geomatics at several schools in Austria. During the end of my studies, I was hired by ABT to establish their information systems and data-processing programs. Over the years I added more and more skills and duties related to aerial remote-sensing. One of the most exciting skills or duties was getting qualified as an Airborne Sensor Operator flying small to mid-size manned aircraft. Once I became an ASO, my knowledge of how aerial remote-sensing works from clients’ needs to product delivery took-off.
What do you think is the general role of an Airborne Sensor Operators in today’s Aerial Mapping & Surveying Sector?
I think the role of an ASO, especially in a small to mid-size company, is just not operating a sensor during flight but participating at some-level in the planning, maintenance of systems and processing of data for each project. Because small to mid-size firms don’t have endless resources, it’s critical that ASO’s support as much as possible each step of a project. One benefit from this is QA. With ASO’s in the loop from start to finish in a collection project, it increases the chance that errors, or mistakes are caught early. From my point of view: 1 x mistake in collection = 10 x problems in data processing. Again, the ASO is an important part of this process.
What do you look for when hiring an Airborne Sensor Operator?
I know this might sound funny, but I first look to see if a new ASO candidate likes to fly or still wants to fly before going further with the hiring process. We regularly take interested candidates on test/calibration flights to see how everything goes for them and us. Also, other things I look for is an individual who can speak English, has good situational awareness and can solve technical problems in a creative and resourceful fashion. Again, as a small mid-size firm, it’s critical to have self-starters and individuals who can work independently around the world in remote locations.
What would you recommend to future ASOs regarding type of training and education to pursue?
First, I recommend those who are interested in becoming an ASO in the aerial mapping and surveying sector develop a knowledge of mechanical and electrical principles and systems, understand how IT networks operate, and a basic knowledge of aviation, i.e., aircraft systems to airmanship. After that, I recommend individuals expand their knowledge around specific disciplines like GIS or specialized applications.
What are the general trends you see in the Aerial Mapping & Surveying sector or markets?
Overall, and from my experience, the want for data has doubled in the last 5 years. We’ve seen an increase in the number of firms approaching us who 8 years ago would’ve never reached-out and sought our services. Because of the tech revolution, organizations can get good quality and cost-effective data from drones, manned aircraft and satellites that wasn’t available 10 years ago.
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