Drone Vehicle Architect

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Company:

Location:

Experience:

Company Overview:

Ruru Tek Private Limited is a leading Indian ODM/OEM company specializing in cutting-edge technologies across CCTV Surveillance, NVR/DVR systems, set-top boxes, TV, Digital Signage, AI IoT, AI CCTV, AI Face Recognition Systems, and AI-based Warehouse & Industrial Management Systems, Robotics & DRONES. We are committed to driving innovation in intelligent automation and smart electronics for global and domestic markets.

Position Summary:

The Drone Vehicle Architect is a senior technical leadership role responsible for designing the overall vehicle architecture and ensuring integration of complex drone systems.

Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), the architect defines vehicle-level specifications, develops architectures, decomposes requirements, and allocates them to subsystems. They review and approve system-level designs, ensuring alignment with vehicle requirements and Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodologies.

The role demands expertise in aerodynamics, aerostructures, communication protocols, standards, ground control systems (GCS), radio, datalink systems, and SORA, with leadership to guide cross-functional teams and make hardware/sensor trade-offs.

Key Responsibilities:

·       Define vehicle-level specifications and requirements, aligning with project goals, regulatory standards, and performance objectives.

·       Design vehicle architecture, including airframe, propulsion, flight controls, sensors,

payload management, and communication systems.

·       Decompose requirements into functional allocations and item-level requirements

for subsystems.

·       Review and approve system-level architectures/designs for alignment with vehicle requirements and SORA outcomes.

·       Apply SORA methodologies, including ground/air risk assessments for regulatory

compliance (e.g., EASA, FAA).

·       Conduct hardware trade-offs (sensors, actuators, communication systems),

balancing weight, power, cost, reliability, and performance.

·       Utilize expertise in aerodynamics (lift, drag, stability) and aerostructures (composite materials, structural integrity) for vehicle design.

·       Demonstrate proficiency in UAV protocols: MAVLink, CAN bus, UART/Serial, I2C/SPI, Ethernet, TCP/IP, SBUS/PPM, FrSky, DSMX, Crossfire.

·       Ensure compliance with standards (DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-STD-810, FAA/ICAO, SORA).

·       Leverage flight management systems (FMS), navigation (GPS/INS, RTK), guidance, and control systems (PID, autopilot) expertise for autonomous operations.

·       Oversee GCS integration (e.g., ǪGroundControl, Mission Planner) for mission

planning and telemetry.

·       Manage radio/datalink systems (RF: 2.4/5.8/900 MHz, LTE/5G, LoRa, Zigbee, AES- 256 encryption) for reliable telemetry and video.

·       Lead discipline leads (aerodynamics, aerostructures, electrical, battery, flight

controls, sensors, payload, datalink) to resolve integration challenges.

·       Collaborate with CTO on technical insights, SORA-based risk assessments, and

integration milestones.

·       Conduct testing/simulations (MATLAB/Simulink, ROS) to validate performance and SORA mitigations.

·       Stay updated on UAV technologies, protocols, standards, and SORA developments.

Vehicle and System Architecture including

·       Airframe/Structural

·       Propulsion

·       Flight Controls

·       Sensor/Payload

·       Communication/Datalink

·       GCS Integration

·       Power Management

·       Software/Firmware

·       Workflow:

o   Define requirements with SORA risk assessments.

o   Design vehicle architecture integrating subsystems.

o   Decompose/allocate requirements.

o   Approve subsystem designs for vehicle/SORA alignment.

o   Optimize via trade-off analyses (MATLAB/Simulink).

o   Validate through HIL/SIL/flight testing.

o   Iterate designs for improvements.

Qualifications and Requirements:

·       Bachelor’s/Master’s in Aerospace, Systems, or Electronics, Electrical Engineering.

·       10+ years in aerospace systems design/integration, preferably focusing on drones.

·       Proven vehicle architecture design and requirement decomposition skills.

·       Analytical expertise in hardware/sensor trade-offs (MATLAB/Simulink, ROS).

·       Deep knowledge of aerodynamics (lift, drag) and aerostructures (composites, stress

analysis).

·       Expertise in UAV protocols (MAVLink, CAN, I2C/SPI, SBUS, TCP/IP, FrSky, DSMX, Crossfire)

·       Knowledge of standards (DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-STD-810, DO-160).

·       Knowledge of BVLOS requirements

·       Strong SORA knowledge (Air and Ground risk assessments).

·       Extensive experience in FMS, navigation (GPS/INS, RTK), guidance, and control (PID,

autopilot).

·       Expertise in GCS integration and radio/datalink systems (RF, LTE/5G, LoRa, Zigbee, AES-256).

·       Leadership in managing multidisciplinary teams.

·       Strong problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills.

·       Preferred: Experience with Li-ion batteries, electric propulsion, sensor fusion

(LIDAR, cameras, IMUs, etc.).

Reporting Structure:

·       Reports to: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

·       Direct Reports: Leads from other disciplines, including aerodynamics, aerostructures, electrical, battery management, datalink, flight controls and ground controls teams.