Drone Jobs

• Llanbedr

Hands-on UAS technician role focused on physical integration, configuration and maintenance of uncrewed air systems, with expert-level ownership of Pixhawk and Cube Orange flight controllers, firmware management and parameter tuning. Involves pre-, in- and post-flight diagnostics, field maintenance and close work with engineering and flight test teams, with opportunities to gain UAS flight qualifications.

Pixhawk · Cube Orange · Lattice OS +4

• Llanbedr
• Senior

Hands-on role integrating hardware and software onto unmanned aerial systems, including sensors, actuators and control systems, and leading the design, build and test of UAS prototypes. Works with mechanical, software and systems engineers on rapid prototyping, test plans and troubleshooting, using ArduPilot, 3D printing, composites and RC piloting of VTOL and fixed-wing platforms.

ArduPilot · ROS · Lattice OS

• Bristol
• On-site
• £60,000 – £70,000 pa
• Senior · manages people
• Permanent

Lead software project teams developing flight control and autopilot simulation software, using model-based design in MATLAB and Simulink. Responsibilities span flight dynamics modelling, flight performance studies, requirements definition, code and model review, and testing, while coaching team members and supporting project scoping and estimation.

MATLAB · Simulink

• Salisbury
• On-site
• £65,000 – £75,000 pa
• Lead
• Permanent

Deliver avionics systems engineering across navigation, power, communication, payloads, aircraft management and C2 systems for unmanned air systems, providing technical leadership over design, development and integration. The role involves supervising other engineers, improving internal processes, and supporting airworthiness, safety and certification requirements within a multi-disciplined team.

Altium · SolidWorks · MATLAB +2

• London

Owns the top-level L0/L1 architecture of a distributed C-UAS system-of-systems, partitioning the capability into network, sensor and effector subsystems and defining the interfaces between them. Works on decentralised, hardware-agnostic designs enabling engage-on-remote and launch-on-remote, collaborating daily with situational awareness, interceptor integration, AI, software and hardware teams.

Tactical Networking · Mesh Communications · Resilient Data Links +1

• London
• Mid-level

Designs and runs environmental stress test campaigns on drone sub-systems and ground support equipment, covering vibration, shock, thermal cycling, ingress, salt spray, altitude and fatigue testing. Works as a generalist across hardware domains in the "Physical Reality" test cluster, using strain gauges, accelerometers and DAQ systems to map failure envelopes and validate survivability.

Vibration Tables · Shock Rigs · Thermal Chambers +7

• Cambridge
• Remote
• £45,000 pa
• Senior · manages people

Lead pilot on complex drone missions across UK infrastructure projects, covering BVLOS, visual mitigation, fixed-wing, survey, LiDAR and inspection operations. Supervises deployed crews, mentors less experienced pilots and develops operational standards, procedures and mission plans. Involves configuring flight controllers, geofences and fail-safes, and analysing flight logs to improve performance.

• Saffron Walden
• Hybrid · 3 days in office
• £70,000 – £80,000 pa
• Senior

Design, build and test RF-based systems from concept through to manufacture, working on airborne radars, drone sensors and LSWaP devices for GPS and radar communication. Collaborate with experts and customers to establish requirements, with hybrid working of three days a week in a state-of-the-art lab and R&D facility.

GPS · IoT

• Basildon
• Hybrid · 3 days in office
• Senior
• Permanent

Defines and refines the strategic software architecture for C-UAS mission systems, spanning SI enterprise architecture, sensor/effector and C2/GUI integration, and technical leadership in bids and external studies. Works alongside solution architects and capability managers, producing white papers to steer stakeholder thinking. Hybrid role based in Basildon within a defence product team.

Visual Studio · DOORS · Cameo +2

• London
• Hybrid
• Senior

Develops and deploys visual-inertial odometry, visual SLAM and vision-based navigation for autonomous aircraft in GNSS-denied environments. Takes perception algorithms from prototype through embedded C++ implementation, field testing and flight validation, optimising for Jetson/Orin platforms. Distinctly focused on robotics perception and state estimation rather than general AI/ML.

NVIDIA Jetson · NVIDIA Orin · GStreamer +7

• Cambridge
• On-site
• £60,000 – £90,000 pa
• Senior

Lead applied RF engineering work, advancing signal processing pipelines and developing next-generation prototype technologies for defence and security applications. Day-to-day involves Python data analysis and prototyping (NumPy, SciPy, PyTorch), digital signal processing, SDR frameworks and analysis of wireless protocols. Fully on-site near the Cambridgeshire/Essex border, with security clearance required.

NumPy · SciPy · PyTorch +7

• Fareham

Servicing, installing, repairing and maintaining Giraffe 1X and other radars, working with high-power AC/DC components, electronics, hydraulics and cooling systems. The role involves on-site customer support, training end users, trials and deployments worldwide, including short-notice travel to high-risk areas, plus system integration and configuration management.

Giraffe 1X

• Ashford
• Permanent

Build, test, repair and disassemble unmanned aerial and surface target systems, including fibreglass repairs, engine tuning, fault diagnosis and payload preparation, while supporting launcher operations and target recovery. Based in Ashford but involving extensive international travel, often at short notice, to deliver training support for defence forces worldwide.

Banshee Target

• Cambridge
• Hybrid
• £45,000 – £65,000 pa
• Mid-level
• Permanent

Design and develop embedded firmware for advanced radar and sensing systems used in UAV applications. Work across the full product lifecycle in a collaborative, engineering-led environment using C/C++ on STM32 microcontrollers in bare-metal and RTOS environments. Engage in system-level debugging and contribute to software architecture for next-generation sensing technologies.

• Portland

Deliver sUAS and First Person View (FPV) technical training to a UK Military customer, including lesson writing and instruction aligned to DSAT methodology. Requires deep hands-on knowledge of building, repairing and operating a wide range of sUAS/FPV systems, with flexible or shift work at times to support customer training needs.

GECO