Flight Control & Navigation Algorithm Engineer

About the role

At ZONEFLY CO., LTD., we design and manufacture high-reliability autonomous UAV platforms and aerospace systems. We are seeking a Flight Control & Navigation Algorithm Engineer to lead the mathematical modeling, simulation, and real-time C/C++ execution of our core GNC stack. In this role, you will be responsible for Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) tuning, multi-sensor fusion, attitude/position control loops, VTOL transition logic (Quadplane), and multi-drone coordination algorithms. You will bridge advanced control theory with embedded C/C++ code, taking algorithms from MATLAB/Simulink and SITL/HITL simulation straight to live field testing on operational hardware.

Key responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize real-time Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) algorithms in C/C++.
• Develop and tune State Estimation pipelines using Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) for multi-sensor fusion (IMU, GNSS, RTK, Optical Flow, LiDAR, Vision).
• Architect advanced autonomy capabilities: smart landing protocols, precision waypoint positioning, dynamic failsafe logic, VTOL transition state machines (Quadplane logic), and multi-agent swarm coordination.
• Extract, adapt, and optimize math libraries, flight modes, and control loops from ArduPilot into proprietary firmware architectures.
• Perform attitude, rate, and position loop tuning (PID, L1/L1+ navigation) across SITL/HITL simulation environments and live flight test field operations.
• Analyze ArduPilot DataFlash and PX4 ULog telemetry files to diagnose control loop instability, aerodynamic disturbances, and state estimator divergences.
• Collaborate with AI/ML and Computer Vision engineers to integrate visual odometry (VIO), obstacle avoidance, and target tracking data streams into the flight control pipeline.
• Benchmark real-time execution bounds, memory overhead, and numerical stability on embedded microcontrollers.

About you

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, Automation, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
• Strong foundation in Control Theory (PID, Cascade Control, State-Space), Kinematics/Dynamics, Spatial Mathematics (Quaternions, Rotation Matrices, Euler Angles), and State Estimation (EKF).
• Deep hands-on experience navigating, modifying, and building within the ArduPilot or PX4 codebase structure.
• Advanced C/C++ skills tailored for high-efficiency, deterministic algorithm execution on microcontrollers.
• Proficiency with Linux environments, SITL/HITL simulation frameworks, and MATLAB/Simulink or Python for control system modeling and data analysis.
• Professional working proficiency in English (written and verbal).
• Practical experience designing multi-drone swarm coordination or multi-agent flight algorithms (preferred).
• Experience with Model Predictive Control (MPC) or adaptive control systems (preferred).
• Practical working knowledge of Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO) integration (preferred).
• Hands-on experience with real-world UAV flight log analysis (DataFlash / ULog) and field tuning (preferred).

About us

At ZONEFLY CO., LTD., we design and manufacture high-reliability autonomous UAV platforms and aerospace systems. Precision Over Assumptions: Flight control mathematics demands absolute accuracy. We validate every algorithm mathematically, verify it in SITL/HITL simulation, and stress-test it on real hardware. Ownership & Technical Autonomy: You will own your control loops from initial differential equations to flight log verification. Clear & Direct Communication: We resolve engineering challenges using flight logs, mathematical proofs, and structured code. Absolute IP & Asset Protection: Operating in advanced aerospace technology requires strict adherence to IP security, code protection, and system integrity.

How We Work at ZONEFLY CO., LTD.

• Precision Over Assumptions: Flight control mathematics demands absolute accuracy. We validate every algorithm mathematically, verify it in SITL/HITL simulation, and stress-test it on real hardware.
• Ownership & Technical Autonomy: You will own your control loops from initial differential equations to flight log verification.
• Clear & Direct Communication: We resolve engineering challenges using flight logs, mathematical proofs, and structured code.
• Absolute IP & Asset Protection: Operating in advanced aerospace technology requires strict adherence to IP security, code protection, and system integrity.