AI Automation Index

Will AI Replace Remote Sensing Technicians?

Task-level automation exposure for Remote Sensing Technicians: 21 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.

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Automation Exposure

55% weighted task index

21 of 21 tasks scored

Median Salary

$62,280 / year

BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation

Employment Level

Medium

73,910 people hold this job — size, not growth

Projected 2025–35

+4.4% employment change

11,200 openings a year · BLS line item

Pay by state

BLS OEWS publishes 51 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.

$35,060 – $86,260

Highest medians

Oklahoma $86,260

District of Columbia $79,230

California $78,350

Washington $73,530

Alaska $70,700

Lowest medians

Puerto Rico $35,060

Wisconsin $47,210

Nebraska $48,640

Indiana $48,650

Texas $48,960

State figures come from the 19-4099 row in the May 2025 state panel. States where the estimate was suppressed or too small to publish are absent.

What the score is made of

Each task is mapped to its work activities, scored for AI automation potential, and weighted by how important those activities are to the job. These are the components.

Automation potential 55%

Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.

Physical work 22%

Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.

Judgment & influence 54%

Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.

Routine administration 10%

Share in documenting, recording, and administrative activities.

Rewritten by O*NET 0%

Share of weighted tasks O*NET rewrote in a recent update. Reported, not folded into the score.

Consequence of error 4/100 Low

O*NET's own rating of how serious an uncorrectable mistake would be here — respondents, not us. Deliberately not in the index: the score measures what AI can do with the task content, and multiplying it by stakes would be our judgment dressed as data.

Constituent Task Mix

21 tasks for this occupation, weighted by work-activity importance. Shares below are of total task weight, not task count.

High exposure (≥ 60% of the task is automatable) 67%

14 tasks

Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 12%

2 tasks

Low exposure (below 35%) 21%

5 tasks

How would you survive?

Move your week away from the high-exposure tasks and toward the ones that need judgment. The simulator recalculates the index as you shift the mix.

Simulate Upskilling →

Emerging & rewritten tasks

Tasks O*NET added or rewrote for this occupation in its recent updates (05/2025 – 08/2026), with who proposed them. Additions are not in the scored task inventory — they are new work O*NET is still measuring, so they appear here and nowhere in the index. A Revision replaces a task that is scored, which is why only those move the "Rewritten by O*NET" share.

New 05/2025 · AI/SME

Operate remote sensing equipment on drones to collect data in areas that are difficult to access or require high-resolution imagery.

Constituent Tasks

#16999 · Core · 10% automatable

Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.

situated mobility — Field data collection requires being in the field

Collect geographical or geological field data.

#16986 · Core · 82% automatable

Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.

data analysis — Data accuracy verification is rule-based and reliable

Evaluate data quality. Verify accuracy of data.

#16991 · Core · 65% automatable

Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.

data analysis — Analyzes survey/physical data; human checks quality

Analyze physical, survey, or geographic data.

#16996 · Core · 61% automatable

Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.

text generation — Scientific code drafted; domain validation by humans

Develop software or applications for scientific or technical use. Collaborate with technical specialists to resolve design or development problems.

#16997 · Core · 72% automatable

Adjust remotely sensed images for optimum presentation by using software to select image displays, define image set categories, or choose processing routines.

text generation — Generative image tools produce visuals; human curates

Create images or other visual displays.

#16998 · Core · 70% automatable

Manipulate raw data to enhance interpretation, either on the ground or during remote sensing flights.

data analysis — Geological/geographic data analysis with human review

Analyze geological or geographical data.

#16990 · Core · 72% automatable

Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.

text generation — Generative image tools produce visuals; human curates

Create images or other visual displays.

#16981 · Core · 56% automatable

Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.

visual inspection — Generates maps; cartographic accuracy and standards human

Create maps. Plan environmental research.

#16987 · Core · 72% automatable

Prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs.

text generation — Reports drafted; presentations need human delivery

Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.

#16994 · Supplemental · 70% automatable

Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.

data analysis — Geological/geographic data analysis with human review

Analyze geological or geographical data.

#16995 · Supplemental · 18% automatable

Calibrate data collection equipment.

physical manipulation — Physical calibration of instruments requires hands

Calibrate scientific or technical equipment.

#16993 · Supplemental · 65% automatable

Develop or maintain geospatial information databases.

text generation — Technical DB design drafted; domain validation human

Develop technical or scientific databases.

#16989 · Supplemental · 18% automatable

Monitor raw data quality during collection, and make equipment corrections as necessary.

physical manipulation — Physical calibration of instruments requires hands

Calibrate scientific or technical equipment.

#16982 · Supplemental · 82% automatable

Maintain records of survey data.

data analysis — Record research or operational data into schemas

Record research or operational data.

#16992 · Supplemental · 61% automatable

Evaluate remote sensing project requirements to determine the types of equipment or computer software necessary to meet project requirements, such as specific image types or output resolutions.

decision support — Equipment selection needs site context and judgment

Evaluate characteristics of equipment or systems. Determine types of equipment, tools, or materials needed for jobs.

#16985 · Supplemental · 10% automatable

Collect verification data on the ground, using equipment such as global positioning receivers, digital cameras, or notebook computers.

situated mobility — Field data collection requires being in the field

Collect geographical or geological field data.

#16983 · Supplemental · 72% automatable

Document methods used and write technical reports containing information collected.

text generation — Reports drafted; presentations need human delivery

Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.

#16984 · Supplemental · 62% automatable

Develop specialized computer software routines to customize and integrate image analysis.

text generation — Scientific code drafted; domain validation by humans

Develop software or applications for scientific or technical use.

#19804 · Core · 56% automatable

Collaborate with agricultural workers to apply remote sensing information to efforts to reduce negative environmental impacts of farming practices.

text generation — Drafting project updates is AI-assisted; delivery is human

Communicate project information to others. Collaborate with outside groups to develop programs or projects.

#19805 · Core · 8% automatable

Collect remote sensing data for forest or carbon tracking activities involved in assessing the impact of environmental change.

situated mobility — Environmental sampling needs field presence and hands

Collect environmental data or samples.

#19806 · Core · 62% automatable

Provide remote sensing data for use in addressing environmental issues, such as surface water modeling or dust cloud detection.

text generation — AI summarizes research results; human validates

Communicate results of environmental research.

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Community Sentiment

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Method

How this was scored

1. Tasks. O*NET task statements for this occupation, from a release whose newest record is dated 08/2026.
2. Work activities. Each task maps to 1–5 Detailed Work Activities; each activity belongs to one of 41 Generalized Work Activities that O*NET rates for importance (1–5) in this occupation.
3. Automation potential. Every work activity carries one score for how far current AI can perform it end-to-end. Tasks inherit the mean of their activities.
4. Weighting. Task weight = 0.35 + 0.65 × (importance − 1)/4, scaled by how often the task is performed and by 0.7 for Supplemental tasks. Importance is the task's own O*NET rating where it exists (18,369 of 18,838 tasks); the rest inherit their work activities' importance. The index is the weighted mean.

Check: across the 910 occupations where O*NET also rates how far machine speed sets the pace, this index moves opposite to it (Spearman ρ = -0.49). The more a job is paced by equipment, the less of its task content AI can address — the relationship you would expect if the scoring is working.

Sources · O*NET 31.0 (task records to 08/2026) · BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS projections 2025-2035 · rubric v2.1 · tasks for O*NET, not a forecast

See the full method →

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