Lead Controls Engineer (UAVs)

Unmannd; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Access to real hardware platforms

Collaborative startup culture

Direct impact on UAV performance

Job summary

A leading UAV development company in Bengaluru seeks a Lead Controls Engineer to own the control systems architecture and lead a team. The role combines technical expertise in flight dynamics and leadership responsibilities, including mentoring and cross-team collaboration. Candidates should have a Master's or Ph.D. in a relevant field and 6-10 years of experience in control systems. This position offers opportunities for impact and growth within a collaborative startup culture.

Qualifications

• 6–10 years of experience in control systems for robotics or UAVs.
• Strong expertise in classical control techniques.
• Hands-on experience with PX4 or ArduPilot.

Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and optimize control systems for UAVs.
• Lead the use of simulation environments for validation.
• Work closely with firmware engineers and autonomy teams.

Skills

Classical control (PID, cascaded loops)

State estimation and dynamics modeling

Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink

C++

Python

Hands-on experience with PX4, ArduPilot

Real-world tuning and analyzing UAV flight logs

Education

Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Controls, Robotics, or related field

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

C++

Python

PX4

ArduPilot

Job description

We’re building deeply intelligent UAVs for defense forces – designed to out‑think, outmaneuver, and dominate even in contested environments. Our mission is to give the armed forces an undeniable edge and help safeguard peace across borders. We move fast, challenge limits, and obsess over building technology that redefines what’s possible. If you are driven to build something truly transformational — then this is it.

Job Description

Role Summary

As Lead Controls Engineer, you will own the control systems architecture, guide algorithm development (attitude, trajectory, and mission‑level control), and lead a team of controls engineers. This role combines technical depth in flight dynamics and control theory with leadership responsibilities, including mentoring, roadmap development, and cross‑team collaboration with firmware, autonomy, and systems integration teams.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Control System Design & Development

Architect, implement, and optimize control systems for attitude, altitude, velocity, and trajectory tracking.

Develop both low‑level controllers (motor commands, stabilization) and high‑level controllers (trajectory following, waypoint tracking).

Model and analyze UAV dynamics under variable payloads and flight conditions.

Explore and implement advanced control methods (e.g., LQR, MPC, adaptive control, fault‑tolerant control).

Stay updated with the state of the art in control systems, UAV dynamics, and adaptive/autonomous control methods.

Drive innovation by evaluating new algorithms (e.g., AI/ML‑enhanced control strategies).

Ensure documentation, safety standards, and compliance with UAV regulatory requirements.

• Simulation, Testing & Tuning

Lead the use of simulation environments (MATLAB/Simulink, Gazebo, AirSim, SITL/HIL) for validation.

Define test cases and metrics for control performance, robustness, and safety.

Oversee parameter tuning and log analysis during lab and field flight testing.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work closely with:

• Firmware engineers to ensure low‑level control implementation on embedded hardware.
• Autonomy engineers to connect planners with trajectory controllers.
• Perception & sensor fusion teams to leverage accurate state estimation for stable control.
• Flight test team to validate and iterate in real‑world conditions.

Requirements

Qualifications

Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Controls, Robotics, or related field.

6–10 years of experience in control systems for robotics or UAVs.

Strong expertise in:

• Classical control (PID, cascaded loops).
• State estimation and dynamics modeling.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, C++, and Python.
• Hands‑on experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or custom autopilot stacks.
• Proven experience with real‑world tuning and analyzing UAV flight logs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading small teams or projects.
• Familiarity with fault‑tolerant and redundant control architectures.
• Knowledge of certifiable RTOS environments (SafeRTOS, INTEGRITY).
• Hands‑on flight testing of UAVs (quadrotors, VTOLs, fixed‑wing).
• Contributions to control‑related research, publications, or open‑source projects.

What We Offer

• Technical leadership role at the heart of Unmannd’s flight systems.
• Direct impact on real‑world UAV performance and reliability.
• Access to real hardware platforms, flight ranges, and simulations.
• Collaborative startup culture with opportunities to grow into Head of Controls / Autonomy.