Senior Drone Software Engineer

Make a direct impact on tethered drone solutions powering government and commercial missions as our Senior Drone Software Engineer, where you'll design, develop, and maintain flight control software and firmware for high-performance aerial systems, ground stations, and test infrastructure.Why You Want This JobYour work directly supports Army integrated tactical network programs and robotic combat vehicle efforts — this is not a simulation, it is fielded technologyTethered UAS is a specialized, growing domain; the experience you build here is not replicable at a general robotics or software companySmall team means you work across the full stack, not one narrow slice — flight control, sensor integration, autonomy, and test, all in the same roleDirect access to flight test: you write the code, you see it fly, and you own the debug loop when it doesn'tSanford, FL, offers a genuine quality-of-life advantage with no state income tax and proximity to Greater OrlandoWhat You'll Be DoingDesigning, developing, and maintaining software and firmware for tethered multi-rotor systems, including flight control integration with ArduPilot or similar autopilot platformsIntegrating avionics components including sensors, GPS, radios, and companion computers, working closely with mechanical, electrical, and test teamsAnalyzing ArduPilot flight logs and test data to diagnose root causes and implement fixes across SITL and real-world flight environmentsContributing to system and software architecture discussions, trade studies, design reviews, and roadmap planningSupporting development of new autonomy, control, and payload capabilities aligned with the product roadmapWhy You'll Be Successful3–7 years of industry experience in robotics, aerospace, or embedded systems, with hands-on C++ or C developmentReal-world experience debugging complex systems using flight logs, telemetry, or bench test dataFamiliarity with ArduPilot, PX4, MAVLink, or ROS/ROS2Exposure to machine learning concepts or applied projects in robotics or embedded contextsAdaptability in a high-tempo environment where priorities shift and ambiguity is part of the jobPosition is an onsite position working out of our beautiful Sanford, FL, offices. This position is subject to ITAR (22 C.F.R. § 120.62). Must be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee. All official Hoverfly Technologies recruiting communications are sent exclusively from email addresses ending in @hoverflytech.com. Hoverfly never asks candidates to provide social security numbers, banking details, or other sensitive personal information, or to download software or purchase equipment as part of the recruitment process.