Flight Mechanics and Simulation Engineer

Our Company

Our mission at Dronamics is to improve economic opportunities and protect society through drone technology. To achieve this, we are developing a new type of aircraft, one that is remotely-piloted, extremely fuel efficient and can land nearly anywhere. It can transport up to 350 kg  over 2,500 km, saving time, cost and co2 emissions. Apart from moving goods, it can serve other critical missions such as civil protection and public safety. This is the kind of technology that can transform whole economies.

At first, it didn't sound possible, but we keep proving it is, which is why we've called it “The Black Swan”. It can land on short airstrips, enabling on-demand point-to-point flights and autonomous logistics even to the most remote locations that would otherwise take days to reach over ground or sea.

​We are starting with domestic air networks in Europe, bringing back to life the multitude of small airfields that are often unused, boosting local infrastructure and economies.

The Responsibilities:

Working as part of the DOA R&D team and reporting to the Aero, Performance and Simulation team Lead, the Flight Mechanics and Simulation Engineer is responsible for the following:

• Reviewing the existing flight mechanics models.

• Improving fidelity of the existing flight mechanics models.

• Expanding the existing flight mechanics analysis MATLAB codebase.

• Maintaining and improving the in-house flight simulator.

• Writing technical documentation.

• Reviewing existing technical documentation / methodologies.

• Supporting the FCS engineer and Aerodynamics and Load Cases Engineer with flight mechanics related activities (e.g. linearisations, trim etc.).

• Flight test support at the test site (if required).

Your Qualifications:

• MSc/MEng or PhD in Aerospace Engineering or related field with at least 3 years industry experience (Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering field is preferred).

• Good working level in MATLAB and Simulink.

• Improvement and maintenance of existing dynamic models.

  • Contribution to existing MATLAB codebase for aircraft analysis.

  • Good understanding of data structures in MATLAB.

  • Good understanding of Model Based Design practices (MBD).

• Good understanding of aerodynamics and flight mechanics.

  • Standard definitions of aerodynamic coefficients.

  • Derivation of aerodynamic coefficients from Boundary Element Method.

• (BEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

  • 3DOF, 6DOF equations of motion.

  • Stability derivatives, importance and effect.

  • Flat-earth, and ECEF.

  • Trim and linearization (coupled and decoupled).

  • Static and dynamic stability analysis (coupled and decoupled).

    • Fixed-and-free neutral and maneuvering points.

    • Longitudinal and lateral modes.

• Post-flight test data analysis.

  • Familiarity with aerodynamic models.

    • Stability derivatives/lookup tables.

  • Improvement of existing flight simulators.

• Flight test support.

  • Support existing flight tests (full and subscale aircraft) as part of the standard activities of the Aerodynamics Performance & Simulation team.

• Good technical documentation writing skills.

• Good presentation skills.

Nice to Have:

• Prior experience with fixed-wing UAV platforms is a plus.

• Good working knowledge of the GIT version control system is a plus (training can be provided).

• Good understanding of the working principles of BEM and CFD is a plus.

• Basic understanding of Simulink Compiler, C++, and compilation using MSVC is a plus (training can be provided).
  

What we offer:

• A competitive compensation package for a start up company.

• Lots of opportunities for personal and professional growth on a global level.

• Tons of work, zero office politics - we are here to impact the lives of millions of people around the world.

• A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to frame the future of how the world moves goods.

Location:

• This role will be based in Horta, the Azores.