Well, I am wanting to train for licensing for drones... I don't care where or what position I will get. (not the military ones)
I know the future will be full of them one way or the other, either automated or manned keyboard/joysticks.
And it is a job anyone can do with dedication and a lot of flight hours/practice.
I figure around here it will be fire control (locate hot spots), realty ads for large plots (the rich folks), commercials for businesses, news stories, search and rescue, and possibly surveying those places where wheeled vehicles cannot reach. (yeah businesses buy swamp areas).
So I have ordered the newest of the new DJI drones... the Mavic Pro...
This thing can fly up to 4 miles away..... I won't be testing that, but will be testing its ability to navigate tight places (it has sensors like the new cars for distances to near objects)
Oh... the thing that got me interested was a buddy used to inspect radio towers.... guess what they will be using in the future?
We will not all be healthy enough to "tote that bale" in the near future...so I am figuring at least I could still be somewhat employed
I'll post again once I have recieved it and possibly a few videos .... once I have mastered it... oh I have flown a few small ones that did not have the tech this one does.... and crashed a few too... but I'd rather practice a few times with this one before attempting anything far out

 
I have a friend who uses his DJI Phantom 4 drone for real estate listings.
He was flying it confidently with only an hour's practice.
He charges other realtors for his photography service and estimates that
the drone itself will be paid for in about 3 months.

You might want to check out Skyward for your licensing and support needs.

Skyward Website:  https://skyward.io/

Happy flying and good luck with your new venture, old_rider !

I've only used the cheap ones like the UTI and Parrot drones but after just 10-15 hours of practice, I could fly them around trees,  and land it on top of a standard sized briefcase. I would love to use some that have the POV systems, but haven't gotten quite that fancy yet.

From everything I've read and seen, it sounds like a REALLY lucrative business. Good luck, old rider!! Definitely post some videos as you learn to maneuver the thing. I'd love to see them.  

A guy I fly gliders with is missing 3 fingers because someone knocked the throttle open on his  electric powered glider while he was fiddling with it. He would be unimpressed by mythbusters effort. I bet they didn't do the experiment and stick their own body parts in. Was pretty cool when Adam put his hand in the molten lead tho.
I've been tagged by a few low speed (10x4) park flyer props on my own scratch build quad (drone if you must) and it does more than scratch. yesterday I accidentally stuck my finger in an alternator fan and only got a fright and a trimmed fingernail.

His nickname is Emu Fingers cause his paw looks like an emu's hoof.

old_rider:

When you say you have to be "hired", does that mean you have to be placed
on the payroll as an employee ?
If so, doesn't that limit the plans you have to sell your aerial photography to
the various businesses you listed in your first post ?
Or would you just have to "hired" by a company that sells aerial photography
services to clients ?

Thanks for the explanation, old_rider.
I didn't realize that the FAA regulations were so detailed
It will be interesting to follow the course of the FAA's enforcement in the
coming years as tens of thousands of these little drones take to the skies.
Best wishes on your endeavor !

Got 38 minutes? watch this.... this guy is very informative on all his reviews of drones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er14AtwT59k