About this role
Salary: £124,800 - 135,200 per year
Requirements: Experience contributing to or working with ArduPilot and/or PX4 codebases.Solid understanding of flight dynamics, control theory, and state estimation (Kalman filtering/EKF).Experience with embedded Linux and/or real-time operating systems (NuttX, ChibiOS).Familiarity with MAVLink protocol and UAV communication architectures.Practical experience flight testing or bench testing UAV platforms.Degree in Aerospace, Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).Experience with ROS/ROS2, DroneCAN/UAVCAN, or companion computer integration.Familiarity with GPS-denied navigation, sensor fusion, or autonomy stacks.Knowledge of UK/EASA UAS regulations and BVLOS operations.Prior work in a defence, aerospace.Eligibility for UK Government security clearance (SC/DV) Responsibilities: Develop and maintain firmware for ArduPilot and/or PX4 flight stacks, including custom drivers, control laws, and mission logic.Tune flight controllers (PID, EKF/INS parameters) and support flight testing across a range of airframes.Integrate sensors and payloads (GNSS/INS, IMU, airspeed, lidar, cameras) over MAVLink, CAN, UART, and I2C/SPI interfaces.Work with ground control stations (Mission Planner, QGroundControl) and support telemetry/command-and-control links.Debug flight logs and telemetry to diagnose in-field issues and improve system reliability and safety.Collaborate with hardware, systems, and test engineers to support platform integration and certification activities.Contribute to software documentation, version control, and CI/testing processes. Technologies: EmbeddedFirmwareHardwareSupportLinuxROSRoboticsSecuritySensor FusionC++ More:
We are recruiting for an Autopilot Software Engineer to develop, integrate, and test flight control software for our unmanned aerial systems using ArduPilot and/or PX4. This is a 6-month initial contract based in Wiltshire, with an option to go permanent. The target rate is £60-65 per hour Ltd, negotiable, and the role is outside IR35. You will work across the full stack, from low-level sensor drivers and control loops through to ground control station integration, supporting fixed-wing, multirotor, and VTOL platforms.
last updated 39 week of 2026