UAV Autopilot Software Engineer

UAV Autopilot Software Engineer (ArduPilot / PX4) Location: South West - On site initially, moving to a hybrid arrangement once familiar Duration: 6 months initial Option to go permanent Target rate: £60-65 ph Ltd *Negotiable* Outside IR35 Role Summary We are looking for an Autopilot Software Engineer to develop, integrate, and test flight control software for our unmanned aerial systems using ArduPilot and/or PX4. 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. Key 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. Essential Skills & Experience • 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). Desirable • 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)JBRP1_UKTJ