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Drone Engineering Internship Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Aerial Application Drone Operator Intern

Hawarden, IA ยท On-site

$14.50 - $18.75/hr

Job Type Part-time Description Are you looking for an internship that offers hands-on experience in ... Education: Currently pursuing a degree in Agriculture, Engineering, or a related field.

Internship - High School

Fishers, IN

$15.75 - $20.25/hr

Drone Technology * News & Media * SOUTHEAST OFFICE My Account Career Opportunities >> Internship - High School Internship - High School Summary Title: Internship - High School ID: 995777 IN Location:

Soaring Sky Intern

Fort Myers, FL ยท On-site

$14 - $18.75/hr

Company Description Soaring Sky provides state of the art commercial services using drone ... We are looking for student interns to: * Assist in a variety of office services including marketing ...

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Drone Engineering Internship information

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How much do drone engineering internship jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for drone engineering internship in the United States is $19.31, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.11 and $20.91 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What types of projects and technologies can I expect to work on during a Drone Engineering Internship?

As a Drone Engineering Intern, you can expect to be involved in hands-on projects such as assembling, testing, and programming drones, as well as assisting with flight operations and data analysis. Interns often collaborate with engineering teams to develop and refine hardware or software components, troubleshoot technical issues, and support prototype testing. This role offers exposure to technologies like embedded systems, sensor integration, and flight control algorithms, providing valuable industry experience and opportunities to contribute to real-world drone applications.

What is the difference between Drone Engineering Internship vs Drone Technician?

AspectDrone Engineering InternshipDrone Technician
Required CredentialsTypically pursuing or recent graduate in engineering, robotics, or related fieldsTechnical diploma or certification in drone repair or electronics
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, research facilities, or engineering teamsFieldwork, repair shops, or maintenance facilities
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, aerospace firms, research institutionsDrone service providers, maintenance companies, manufacturing
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

The main difference is that a Drone Engineering Internship focuses on designing, developing, and testing drone systems, often involving research and engineering tasks. In contrast, a Drone Technician primarily handles the maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting of existing drone equipment. Both roles are essential in the drone industry but serve different stages of drone development and deployment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Drone Engineering Intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Drone Engineering Intern, you need a solid understanding of aerodynamics, electronics, programming, and a relevant background in engineering or computer science. Familiarity with CAD software, flight simulation tools, and programming languages like Python or C++ is typically expected, along with knowledge of drone-related hardware. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills help interns effectively contribute to project development and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. These skills are crucial for designing, testing, and improving drone systems in a rapidly evolving field.

What is a Drone Engineering Internship?

A Drone Engineering Internship is a temporary position that gives students or recent graduates hands-on experience in designing, building, testing, and operating drones (unmanned aerial vehicles). Interns typically work with professionals in the field to learn about drone hardware, software, flight systems, and regulatory considerations. These internships provide valuable practical skills and industry exposure, often serving as a stepping stone to a career in robotics, aerospace, or related fields. Duties may include assisting with prototype development, conducting flight tests, analyzing data, and helping with research projects.
More about Drone Engineering Internship jobs
What cities are hiring for Drone Engineering Internship jobs? Cities with the most Drone Engineering Internship job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Drone Engineering jobs? The most popular types of Drone Engineering jobs are:
What states have the most Drone Engineering Internship jobs? States with the most job openings for Drone Engineering Internship jobs include:
Infographic showing various Drone Engineering Internship job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 7% Internship, 79% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 7% Temporary. Highlights an 93% In-person, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $40,174 per year, or $19.3 per hour.

Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Engineering Internship (Path to Full Time Hire)

Space Kinetic

El Segundo, CA โ€ข On-site

$17.75 - $23.25/hr

Full-time, Internship

Posted 16 days ago


Job description

A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
Who We Are:
Space Kinetic is a dual use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations - one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attritable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different - an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures - where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus -- and unlock a 'one-to-many' system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster.
This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space
Our Intern Program:
Space Kinetic's internship program is designed to identify top early-career talent for potential full-time roles. Over the three-month program, interns are paired with a mentor, assigned one to three meaningful projects, and provide monthly progress updates to the Leadership team.
Interns who demonstrate strong performance, ownership, and alignment with Space Kinetic's mission may receive a full-time offer upon successful completion of the internship.
What You'll Do:
As an Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Intern, you will support Engineering to help design and build prototypes for Space Kinetic's core technology to achieve our mission of a flight demo within the next 2 years in a fast-paced startup environment. You will work with the Space Kinetic manufacturing and/or engineering teams to enhance the current design architecture as we prepare for Flight Development. Depending upon your background, the role can dive deep into CAD, software coding, system engineering integration and test, thermal modeling, stress analysis, Electrical Circuit Design, board and box assembly and test or manufacturing support. You will collaborate with vendors to source components, support finite element analysis (FEA) simulations for the system, and create models for both the current prototype and the full-scale system. Test as built systems, develop code for flight and ground applications.
What It Takes:
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced, self-driven entrepreneurial workplace
  • Currently pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or closely related major at an accredited college or university and graduating within the next semester or have recently graduated
  • Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks)
  • Coding experience in C++, Python and/or Rust
  • Ability to work with minimal direction or support and to learn quickly; strong analytical skills; creative and innovative thinking; detail-oriented; calm under pressure; commitment to follow-through; enthusiastic with a talent for motivating others; receptive to career coaching and open to others' ideas; and effective in written communication.
  • Ability to maintain or obtain Government Security Clearance.

What We'd Love:
  • Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, education, and demonstrated technical depth.
  • Knowledgeable of Dynamics and Kinematics
  • Previous experience with Control Systems (Sensor Fusion, Kalman Filtering, IMU)
  • Mathematics to include Linear Algebra, Differential Equation, Probability and Statistics

Where You'll Be:
  • The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA.

ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. ยง 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. ยง 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.
The annual base salary for this role is below. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education/experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.
Pay Range
$20-$40 USD