Fixed-Wing UAV Design Engineer – Airframe & Mechanical Systems

Yali Aerospace; Thanjavur; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Yali Aerospace is seeking a Fixed-Wing UAV Design Engineer to design lightweight, production-ready airframes and mechanical systems. You’ll focus on composite airframe design, moulding tooling, and modular payload integration, collaborating with Aerodynamics, Composites, Avionics, Manufacturing, and Flight Test teams.

Channel your expertise in fixed-wing UAV design, CFRP/GFRP structures, GD&T, and assembly tooling to deliver robust airframes that meet weight, strength, and serviceability targets

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on UAV/aerospace airframe design experience.
• Strong experience in fixed-wing UAV design and composite airframe structures.
• Proficiency in CATIA and SolidWorks.
• Experience with composite mould/tooling design and composite manufacturing processes.
• Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up, structural joints, fasteners, bonding, machining, and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Design fixed-wing UAV airframes including fuselage, wings, empennage, control surfaces, hatches, and internal structures.
• Develop composite structures using CFRP/GFRP, sandwich panels, foam/honeycomb cores, and bonded assemblies.
• Optimize airframes for weight, strength, stiffness, aerodynamic requirements, manufacturability, and serviceability.
• Design composite moulds, master patterns, assembly fixtures, bonding fixtures, and manufacturing tooling.
• Develop mechanical interfaces such as wing-fuselage joints, quick-release mechanisms, locking systems, hinges, control linkages, landing interfaces, and structural connectors.
• Design modular airframe architectures for rapid assembly, transportation, maintenance, and field replacement.
• Develop mechanical integration solutions for modular payloads, EO/IR systems, sensors, antennas, avionics, batteries, and mission equipment.
• Ensure payload integration considers CG, loads, vibration isolation, accessibility, thermal requirements, and cable routing.
• Perform GD&T, tolerance stack-up, structural calculations, mass/CG analysis, and design reviews.
• Work with the Composite Fabrication Team from CAD to mould/tooling to prototype to flight testing to production.
• Support prototype builds, ground testing, flight testing, failure analysis, and iterative design improvements.
• Prepare complete 3D CAD, manufacturing drawings, BOMs, assembly drawings, and engineering documentation.

Skills

Airframe design

Composite structures

GD&T

Mass/CG analysis

Payload integration

Mechanical interfaces

Education

Aerospace/Mechanical degree

Tools

CATIA

SolidWorks

Mould design

Bonding processes

Job description

Fixed-Wing UAV Design Engineer – Airframe & Mechanical Systems

We are looking for an experienced Fixed-Wing UAV Design Engineer to design and develop lightweight, robust, and production-ready UAV airframes and mechanical systems.

The role will focus on composite airframe design, mould/tooling design, critical mechanical interfaces, modular airframe architecture, and payload integration, working closely with Aerodynamics, Composites, Avionics, Manufacturing, and Flight Test teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop fixed-wing UAV airframes, including fuselage, wings, empennage, control surfaces, hatches, and internal structures.
• Design composite structures using CFRP/GFRP, sandwich panels, foam/honeycomb cores, and bonded assemblies.
• Optimise airframes for weight, strength, stiffness, aerodynamic requirements, manufacturability, and serviceability.
• Design composite moulds, master patterns, assembly fixtures, bonding fixtures, and manufacturing tooling.
• Develop critical mechanical interfaces such as wing-fuselage joints, quick-release mechanisms, locking systems, hinges, control linkages, landing interfaces, and structural connectors.
• Design modular airframe architectures for rapid assembly, transportation, maintenance, and field replacement.
• Develop mechanical integration solutions for modular payloads, EO/IR systems, sensors, antennas, avionics, batteries, and mission equipment.
• Ensure payload integration considers CG, structural loads, vibration isolation, accessibility, thermal requirements, and cable routing.
• Perform GD&T, tolerance stack-up, structural calculations, mass/CG analysis, and design reviews.
• Work closely with the Composite Fabrication Team to take designs from CAD → mould/tooling → prototype → assembly → flight testing → production.
• Support prototype builds, ground testing, flight testing, failure analysis, and iterative design improvements.
• Prepare complete 3D CAD, manufacturing drawings, BOMs, assembly drawings, and engineering documentation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's/Master's degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, Mechanical, or related Engineering.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in UAV, aerospace, or aircraft mechanical/airframe design.
• Strong experience in fixed-wing UAV design and composite airframe structures.
• Strong proficiency in CATIA / SolidWorks
• Experience with composite mould/tooling design and composite manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up, structural joints, fasteners, bonding, machining, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience designing mechanical interfaces, modular assemblies, and payload integration systems.
• Good understanding of aircraft loads, weight & balance, CG, structural design, vibration, and DFM/DFA.