It's been a few years, but I remember a program the US Navy had to train senior enlisted as UAV operators. Not sure if that's still going. As the increase of UAV ops has become a normal thing, that's probably where the manpower is coming from for that billet. There was a time in the USAF where pilots were being assigned to "fly" UAVs (predator, et al) which may or may not have worked out in the end. (Been to long since my old buddy Butch retired from the powder blue personnel world).
We also had, in the USN 40 years ago, the flying limited duty officer program,FLDO, when we had a pilot shortage in the USN (and the Reagan administration was trying to build a 600 ship fleet that never solved the manpower issue so it didn't happen).
FLDO would get winged and then commit to a 3 year instructor tour. They were not warrant officers. They were usually enlisted maintenance pros or aircrewmen who competed for a chance at becoming a pilot. They got commissions, and eventually had the chance to convert to regular commissions. Some did and some did not.
The warrant officer idea has been tossed up a few times in the Navy but has not yet stuck.
I wish the Air Force luck with this. Solving their manning shortage has been a moving target for a while.