Hybrid UAV Controls Engineer – Internship

at FIDUCIAL

• Job title: UAV Controls Engineer – Internship
• Job type: Internship
• Experience level: Entry level
• Salary: €1,000 per month
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Tech skills: Python
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Delft, Netherlands

About the role

• Engineering internship focused on UAV controls in a fast-growing deep-tech start-up. Collaborate with experienced engineers on advanced control algorithms and simulations.

Responsibilities

• Contributing to the development and tuning of guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms for autonomous flight, including takeoff, landing, and waypoint following.
• Assisting in integrating control and navigation modules with perception and state estimation systems.
• Using simulation environments (SITL/HIL) to test and validate flight control behavior before hardware deployment.
• Reviewing and interpreting flight logs and telemetry to help assess control performance and identify issues.
• Working closely with hardware and flight test teams to configure and calibrate UAV platforms.
• Supporting flight test campaigns through setup, monitoring, and post-flight data analysis.
• Helping improve internal tools for simulation, control diagnostics, and flight visualization.
• Learning from and collaborating with senior engineers to iterate between simulation and real-world testing and continuously improve flight performance.

Requirements

• Foundational understanding of flight dynamics, control theory, and real-time systems.
• Hands-on experience (academic, hobby, or project-based) designing control loops for UAVs or similar dynamic systems.
• Familiarity with flight control stacks such as PX4, Ardupilot, or other open-source autopilots.
• Strong programming skills in C++ or Python.
• Awareness of state estimation and filtering concepts (e.g., sensor fusion, complementary filters, or EKF basics).
• Comfort working with UAV simulators or an eagerness to learn SITL/HIL testing workflows.
• Curiosity and motivation to learn quickly, explore new areas, and seek guidance when needed.
• A hands-on attitude, persistence, and enthusiasm for building and improving real flying systems.
• Full-time availability (40 hours).

Benefits

• 10 vacation days during internship period
• (Really) flexible working hours and option to work from home 2 days per week
• Have a direct and significant influence on highly innovative products.
• The opportunity to iterate quickly with tight feedback loops, close to the product.
• Responsibility over the things you implement, you are the expert on what you build.