Looking for advice on ISR training

[Donnie Griffin]

Hi ASOG community! I'm really appreatiative of what ASOG does and have been enjoying being a part of it. This is my first time posting. I am an aerial sensor operator with 12+ years of experience. Our flight crew utilizes a King Air outfitted with a high resolution digital mapping camera to fly photogrammetry missions for infrastucture projects. Mainly highway mapping and construction work. I would really love for the next phase of my career to involve ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) but I have zero experience in that field ( I have been strictly aerial photography for 12 years). I have reached out to several companies that do ISR work (L3 Harris, SNC, MAG etc.) asking what I could do as far as self-training to make myself eligible for those types of sensor operator positions, but have not heard back. There seems to be ISR training out there, but it is typicall only availabe to military personel (which I am not). So I would like to put it out there to the ASOG community. Does anyone have any insight as far as what I could do to gain some training or experience in the ISR field to put myself in the running for those types of ASO positions? Thanks in advance for your time. ASOG, please keep up the good work.

 

[Patrick Ryan]

Hi Donnie,

First, welcome to the ASOG community, and thanks for sharing your background! You have a strong foundation in aerial sensor operations, which is a great starting point for transitioning into ISR.

You're right that a lot of ISR training is geared toward military personnel, but you can still take some paths to build relevant skills and increase your chances of landing an ISR position. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Technical Knowledge & Certifications – Consider looking into certifications related to ISR operations. Some commercial options include courses on GIS, remote sensing, and intelligence analysis. ESRI offers good training on GIS applications, and there are online courses in remote sensing from organizations like NASA ARSET.
2. FAA Certifications – A Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (for drone operations) can be useful if you don't already have it. It could lead to adjunct-related ISR work, i.e., it starts to expose you to the industry jargon and processes of ISR.
3. Networking & Industry Events – Attending events like the GEOINT Symposium, AUVSI XPONENTIAL, or other intelligence and ISR-focused conferences (AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition, SOFIC, AFA Warfare Symposium) can be valuable for meeting people in the industry and learning what companies are looking for.
4. Online Training & Courses – Some ISR-related online courses are available through platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and MIT OpenCourseWare. Look for topics like "geospatial intelligence," "intelligence analysis," or "ISR fundamentals." Question: if ASOG developed a virtual "Introduction course on ISR," would you be interested in participating?
5. Connecting with ISR Professionals – Within ASOG and beyond, try to connect with professionals who have transitioned from aerial photography to ISR. They might be able to guide specific hiring pathways.
6. Applying for ISR-Adjacent Roles – Some companies have sensor operator roles that blend photogrammetry with ISR-related work. These could serve as a stepping stone to more dedicated ISR positions.

Since you've already reached out to companies like L3Harris and MAG, consider trying smaller ISR firms or contract roles, as they sometimes have more flexible entry requirements, i.e., see attached list. ASOG_List_ISR Companies.pdf

I hope this helps, and I look forward to hearing more about your efforts! Let me know what you think.