Or make those UAV pilots warrant officers, as many Army pilots currently are. Of course, the USAF hasn’t had warrant officers since someone was a lance corporal, but the stroke of a pen could change that. The RAF and others have “flying officers” and the services had enlisted pilots prior to WWII.
Make them enlisted. It's not commonly known but the Navy and Marines had enlisted pilots before the Second World War. Most were commissioned during the war, but I was in the Navy when the last Enlisted Pilot retired in the 70's. Given the nature of video games and their popularity among young people I'd be surprised if there wasn't a talent pool of enlisted men and women with a talent for flying drones remotely.