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Drone Startup Jobs in Utah (NOW HIRING)

Drone Startup information

What is a drone startup?

A drone startup is a company focused on designing, manufacturing, or utilizing drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) for various applications such as delivery, aerial photography, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, or mapping. These startups typically innovate in areas like drone hardware, software, data analytics, or industry-specific solutions. Many drone startups operate at the intersection of technology and business, seeking to solve problems or create efficiencies across different sectors. They may also develop new business models or services enabled by advancements in drone technology.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in a drone startup?

To thrive in a drone startup, you need a solid understanding of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, engineering principles, and business development, often supported by a degree in engineering, robotics, or entrepreneurship. Familiarity with drone piloting certifications (such as FAA Part 107), CAD software, and industry-standard data processing tools is highly valuable. Strong problem-solving, adaptability, and effective communication skills help you navigate the fast-paced and innovative startup environment. These competencies are crucial for driving product development, ensuring regulatory compliance, and fostering growth in a competitive market.

What are some common challenges faced when working at a drone startup, and how can new team members prepare for them?

Working at a drone startup often involves adapting quickly to evolving technology and regulations. Team members may encounter challenges like rapidly shifting project priorities, tight deadlines, and the need to wear multiple hats—from engineering to customer support. To prepare, it's helpful to stay informed about drone industry trends, develop strong problem-solving skills, and be ready to collaborate closely with colleagues from different disciplines. Embracing flexibility and a willingness to learn can help new hires thrive in this dynamic environment.

What is the difference between Drone Startup vs Drone Pilot?

AspectDrone StartupDrone Pilot
Required CredentialsMay include drone licenses, certifications, and technical skillsRequires drone pilot certification (e.g., Part 107 in the US), FAA license, and flying skills
Work EnvironmentTypically in a startup setting, involving product development, testing, and field operationsPrimarily in the field, flying drones for various purposes like filming, surveying, or inspections
Employer & Industry UsageStartups developing drone technology or services in industries like agriculture, delivery, or surveillanceCompanies, agencies, or freelance work requiring drone operation skills

While a drone startup focuses on developing drone technology or services within a startup environment, a drone pilot specializes in operating drones for specific tasks. Both roles often require similar certifications, but their daily activities and work settings differ significantly.

What cities in Utah are hiring for Drone Startup jobs?

Cities in Utah with the most Drone Startup job openings:

Sr. Embedded Linux SW Eng, Drone Platform

Salt Lake City, UT • On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Other

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Teal Drones - SLC, UT 84115

Position Summary

We are looking for a highly technical Sr. Embedded Linux / C++ Systems Engineer to develop, maintain, and improve core software services running on our drone System-on-Module platform. This role focuses on C/C++ Linux utilities, system daemons, networking, boot and initialization behavior, logging infrastructure, and integrations with the flight stack, radio systems, and ground-control ecosystem. The ideal candidate is comfortable working close to the operating system in a resource-constrained Ubuntu-based environment. They can debug complex system behavior, understand networking at a practical level, and contribute to both maintenance and new feature development across critical drone management services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
  • Develop, maintain, and troubleshoot C/C++ utilities and services running on an embedded Linux SOM.
  • Support and extend drone management services responsible for button handling, networking setup, radio management, device pairing, and system-level coordination.
  • Maintain and improve PX4 log handling and related flight logging workflows.
  • Help design and build broader logging and diagnostics services for system, application, flight, and network data.
  • Work with bootup behavior, initialization scripts, Linux service startup, and system process management.
  • Support platform components
  • Work with networking systems used by the drone and ground-control ecosystem, including UDP endpoints, MAVLink Router, gRPC, Protobuf, DHCP, DNS, radio networking, and network monitoring tools.
  • Debug and support Radio networking behavior in coordination with other teams.
  • Use tools or diagnostics utilities to investigate system-wide networking issues.
  • Collaborate with flight software, embedded systems, manufacturing, test, and QA teams to diagnose and resolve field and lab issues.
  • Contribute clean, maintainable, well-documented system software for a constrained production environment.
Required Qualifications
  • 7+ years’ experience developing in C and/or C++ on Linux.
  • Strong Linux systems knowledge, especially around services, processes, networking, filesystems, permissions, logs, and startup behavior.
  • Experience scripting in Linux environments using Bash, Python, or similar tools.
  • Practical networking experience, including UDP, DHCP, DNS, ports, routing, and network debugging.
  • Experience working on resource-constrained Linux systems or embedded Linux platforms.
  • Ability to debug difficult system-level issues using logs, command-line tools, and hands‑on investigation.
  • Comfortable working on production systems where reliability, maintainability, and observability matter.
  • Strong technical judgment and ability to work independently on ambiguous problems.
Additional Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with MAVLink, PX4, or drone/UAS systems.
  • Experience with MAVLink Router or similar message-routing infrastructure.
  • Experience with gRPC and Protobuf.
  • Experience with radio networking systems.
  • Experience with mesh networks or multi-interface network environments.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

This role will require occasional work in lab, flight-test, manufacturing, or outdoor test environments.

Ability to lift, carry, and move materials and equipment weighing up to 25 lbs. and participate in hands‑on debugging with drone hardware

Requires frequent use of a computer and other standard office equipment for documentation, communication, and coordination tasks.

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.

Compensation

Base pay, plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.

Qualifications

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