[IYAS9YAS]

There's no reason a civilian couldn't do it for the military either, or, if nothing else, monitor multiple screens looking for baddies. I had a security clearance when I was in that, though many years old, could be easily updated.

The training could be simplified. You'd train on video simulators until you were proficient...then on the real deal. If you had to fire, a com-link from you to the one in charge, or you could have a WSO take over for you, if they were concerned over that. Satellite link could easily keep you in coms with the ground pounders.

[KarlInOhio]

There's no reason a civilian couldn't do it for the military either, or, if nothing else, monitor multiple screens looking for baddies.

You could go back to big crews like the old WW2 bombers had. There is a problem with too much information coming at the pilot or even pilot and weapons officer at once which wouldn't be so much of a with bigger crews for a UAV. You wouldn't be limited by aerodynamics on how many people you can cram into a certain size of airframe. You could even specialize with expert pilots handling takeoffs and landings with control switched to average pilots for patrolling.