You're a drone operator who works long hours. How can you take care of your physical health?

1 Set a schedule

One of the challenges of drone operation is that you may have to work irregular or flexible hours, depending on your clients, projects, and deadlines. This can disrupt your sleep, eating, and exercise patterns, and affect your mood and energy levels. To prevent this, try to set a regular schedule for your work and personal time, and stick to it as much as possible. This will help you maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, which is essential for your physical and mental well-being.

2 Take breaks

Another challenge of drone operation is that you may have to work for long periods of time without interruption, especially if you're flying in complex or dynamic environments. This can cause you to lose focus, make mistakes, or experience stress and burnout. To avoid this, make sure you take frequent breaks during your work sessions, and vary your activities. For example, you can stretch your muscles, walk around, drink water, snack on healthy foods, meditate, or chat with someone. This will help you refresh your mind, relax your body, and recharge your batteries.

3 Protect your eyes

A major risk of drone operation is that you may suffer from eye strain, dryness, irritation, or vision problems, due to the prolonged exposure to screens, bright lights, or glare. This can affect your performance, comfort, and safety as a drone operator. To prevent this, follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will help you rest your eyes and reduce eye fatigue. You can also use eye drops, adjust your screen brightness and contrast, wear anti-glare glasses, or use a humidifier to keep your eyes moist and healthy.

4 Ergonomize your workspace

Another risk of drone operation is that you may develop muscle pain, stiffness, or injuries, due to the poor posture, repetitive movements, or awkward angles of your body and hands. This can affect your mobility, flexibility, and strength as a drone operator. To prevent this, optimize your workspace to suit your ergonomic needs. For example, you can use a comfortable chair, a supportive desk, a suitable keyboard and mouse, and a well-positioned monitor and camera. You can also use wrist rests, elbow pads, or gloves to reduce the pressure and friction on your joints and skin.

5 Stay connected

A final challenge of drone operation is that you may feel isolated, lonely, or bored, due to the lack of social interaction, feedback, or variety in your work. This can affect your motivation, satisfaction, and happiness as a drone operator. To prevent this, stay connected with your colleagues, clients, friends, and family, and seek their support, advice, or appreciation. You can also join online or offline communities of drone enthusiasts, where you can share your experiences, learn new skills, or find new opportunities.

Drone operation is a skill that can bring you many benefits, but also some challenges. By following these tips, you can take care of your physical health and enjoy your work more.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?