SETP Members Vote on Expanding Membership to Include UAV Test Pilots

Overview

The SETP Membership considered the case to include among its members test pilots conducting in-the-loop flight testing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). A constitutional amendment was put to a vote, requiring a two-thirds majority to pass.

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Pro Statement

This proposed constitutional amendment expands SETP membership eligibility to include UAS companies as corporate members, and suitably qualified test pilots of high value UAS who satisfy all existing membership requirements, with the sole exception of physical presence in an inhabited cockpit.

Specifically, it recognizes test pilots conducting developmental and experimental flight testing of UAS with equivalent pilot responsibility and authority to inhabited aircraft, such as flight-critical decision authority, equivalent airworthiness consequence, and equivalent flight test discipline requirements, but flown from a ground control station, provided the pilot is capable and qualified to execute in-the-loop rather than merely on-the-loop control.

This distinction is fundamental. These individuals are not passive operators or system supervisors; they are test pilots actively executing complex flight-test missions in real time. They exercise continuous control authority, manage dynamic risk, respond to off-nominal conditions, and are directly accountable for flight safety, mission outcomes, and the generation of test data and lessons learned — responsibilities indistinguishable in substance from those borne by pilots in the cockpit.

This proposal does not lower the bar for membership. All existing requirements for experience, professionalism, selectivity, and test-pilot "counters" remain unchanged. It does not modify standards, expand eligibility to individuals lacking bona fide test-pilot experience, or redefine what constitutes professional flight testing. The Society's expectations for judgment, discipline, and technical competence are fully preserved.

Rather, this amendment represents a measured and limited evolution of membership criteria — one that acknowledges the reality that qualified test pilots may now exercise their craft from a ground control station while remaining directly in the control loop.

Flight testing in 2025 of the Quarterhorse supersonic demonstrator and the General Atomics YFQ-42A were executed by test pilots in-the-loop from ground control stations. These test pilots, and many others involved in restricted or proprietary programs, would be able to count those tests for the experience portion of the membership if this change is approved, provided they are suitably qualified in inhabited aircraft as well. It recognizes a change in where test pilot actions are performed, but not what those actions entail.

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Con Statement

This proposed constitutional amendment raises substantive concerns that warrant careful consideration.

Risk and Professional Identity. A deeply held aspect of SETP's culture has been the assumption of direct personal risk during developmental flight testing. A founding tenet of SETP was to enhance the safety of Test Pilots. While "pink body aboard" has never been an explicit constitutional requirement, it has been inherent in the practice of in-cockpit experimental flight testing.

Sensory Feedback and Aircraft Handling Insight. In-cockpit test pilots operate with continuous exposure to physiological cues — vibration, buffet, acoustics, load factor, side forces, peripheral visual inputs, and other subtle indicators of aircraft behavior — particularly near the edges of the flight envelope. These cues often provide early awareness of approaching limits or anomalous behavior. Pilots operating from ground control stations do not experience these physical sensations. While telemetry and instrumentation may compensate in part, members may question whether the absence of direct sensory exposure affects the development of aircraft-handling instincts traditionally associated with experimental test pilots.

Transferability of Experience. There are concerns about the potential transfer of credentials. If a remotely qualified member were to seek a role involving inhabited aircraft testing, questions could arise as to whether the experiential foundation associated with in-cockpit envelope expansion and handling qualities evaluation is equivalent. This is not an assertion of inadequacy, but rather a concern regarding clarity of qualification and alignment of experience with future roles.

Defining "In-the-Loop" Qualification. Uninhabited systems frequently incorporate significant levels of automation. Distinguishing between a pilot "in-the-loop" (exercising continuous real-time control authority) and one who is supervising automated functions may prove challenging. Establishing clear, objective criteria for qualifying experience could introduce additional complexity for the Membership Committee and require careful governance to ensure consistent standards.

Professional Cohesion Within the Broader Flight Test Community. SETP has historically limited membership to pilots, excluding other highly qualified flight test professionals such as Flight Test Engineers and Weapons Systems Officers, many of whom operate onboard the same aircraft during experimental missions. Expanding eligibility to remote UAS pilots while continuing to exclude other onboard flight test professionals may create perceptions of inconsistency and could affect relationships within the broader flight test community.

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Voting Results

The vote on the proposed constitutional amendment has concluded. The amendment was to expand SETP membership criteria to include flight testing performed by a test pilot with remote, in-the-loop control of a UAS. The amendment required a 2/3 "yes" vote from the received ballots to be approved.

The amendment did not pass. The approval rating was 63.36%, which falls short of the required 66.67%.

A total of 696 members cast a ballot — the highest number and percentage of participants in any vote held for many years.

Metric	Result
Total members eligible to vote	2,094
Total ballots received	696
"Yes" votes	441
"No" votes	255
Final approval percentage	63.36%