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Remote Drone Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Navigation Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

$182K - $242K/yr

Wing offers drone delivery as a safe, fast, and sustainable solution for last mile logistics ... This role will be based in Palo Alto, CA, or remote within the United States . This position seeks ...

DevOps/ Platform Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site +1

$80K - $128K/yr

This hybrid support role (75% remote, 25% onsite at a government facility) in the San Diego area is ... drone swarm information gain, and a wide range of other mission areas. What you will be doing:

DevOps/ Platform Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site +1

$80K - $128K/yr

This hybrid support role (75% remote, 25% onsite at a government facility) in the San Diego area is ... drone swarm information gain, and a wide range of other mission areas. What you will be doing:

This hybrid support role (75% remote, 25% onsite at a government facility) in the San Diego area is ... drone swarm information gain, and a wide range of other mission areas. What you'll do: * Design and ...

This hybrid support role (75% remote, 25% onsite at a government facility) in the San Diego area is ... drone swarm information gain, and a wide range of other mission areas. What you'll do: * Design and ...

Operations Project Manager

Berkeley, CA · On-site +1

$90K - $120K/yr

We work alongside project developers, owners, and engineering & construction firms to support the ... Additional scope includes subcontractor management of drone service providers, performing quality ...

... drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions ... This role sits at the intersection of strategy, engineering, and business development, offering a ...

... drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions ... This role sits at the intersection of strategy, engineering, and business development, offering a ...

... drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions ... This role sits at the intersection of strategy, engineering, and business development, offering a ...

Remote Drone Developer information

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

To thrive as a Remote Drone Developer, you need strong programming skills (commonly in Python, C++, or ROS), a background in robotics or computer engineering, and knowledge of drone hardware and aerodynamics. Experience with simulation tools (such as Gazebo or PX4), drone flight control software, and relevant certifications like Part 107 or industry-specific UAV credentials are highly valuable. Excellent problem-solving, remote collaboration, and effective communication skills distinguish top candidates in this field. These competencies are crucial for developing safe, reliable drone systems and efficiently working with distributed teams on complex, real-world challenges.

What is the 120m rule for drones?

The 120-meter rule for drones states that recreational and commercial drone operators must keep their drones within 120 meters (about 400 feet) of the ground or their control station to comply with regulations. For remote drone developers, understanding altitude restrictions is essential for designing compliant flight systems and ensuring safe operation within legal limits.

What is the difference between Remote Drone Developer vs Remote UAV Software Engineer?

AspectRemote Drone DeveloperRemote UAV Software Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in computer science, robotics, or aerospace engineering; certifications in drone operation or software development are a plusSimilar credentials, often with specialized UAV or aerospace certifications
Work EnvironmentPrimarily remote, collaborating with drone manufacturing or tech companiesPrimarily remote, working with aerospace firms or defense contractors
Industry UsageUsed in commercial drone applications, agriculture, delivery servicesUsed in defense, surveillance, and aerospace industries
Search & Comparison IntentOften compared for software development roles in drone techCompared for specialized UAV software roles in aerospace

Remote Drone Developers focus on creating software for commercial and consumer drones, while Remote UAV Software Engineers typically work on software for military or aerospace UAVs. Both roles require similar technical skills and certifications but differ in industry focus and application.

What are Remote Drone Developers?

Remote Drone Developers are professionals who design, build, and maintain software or systems that control drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) from a remote location. They typically work on programming flight controls, developing autonomous navigation algorithms, integrating sensors, and ensuring safe remote operations. These developers often collaborate with hardware engineers to test and deploy drones for applications such as aerial photography, surveying, agriculture, or delivery. Working remotely, they leverage cloud-based tools and simulation environments to collaborate with teams and manage drone fleets efficiently.

What is the highest paying drone job?

The highest paying drone jobs typically include roles such as drone pilot for aerial cinematography, industrial inspection, or military applications, with salaries reaching six figures for experienced professionals with specialized skills and certifications. Advanced roles often require expertise in drone operation, data analysis, and compliance with regulations, and may involve working in high-stakes environments or with cutting-edge technology.

Will AI replace drone pilots?

Remote drone developers and operators use AI to enhance automation and data processing, but AI is unlikely to fully replace skilled drone pilots in the near future. Human oversight remains essential for complex decision-making, safety, and compliance with regulations, especially in environments requiring real-time judgment. Developing expertise in AI integration and certification can improve job prospects in this evolving field.

How to become a drone developer?

To become a drone developer, you should have a strong foundation in programming languages such as C++, Python, or Java, and knowledge of robotics, control systems, and embedded systems. Gaining experience with drone hardware, flight controllers, and simulation tools like Gazebo or DJI SDKs is also important, along with relevant certifications or degrees in robotics, aerospace, or computer science. Practical experience through projects or internships can help build skills necessary for developing drone software and systems.

What are some unique challenges faced by Remote Drone Developers when testing and debugging their code?

Remote Drone Developers often encounter challenges related to limited physical access to hardware, which can make testing and troubleshooting more complex than typical software development. Simulating real-world flight scenarios remotely requires robust virtual environments and careful coordination with onsite teams or automated testing rigs. Communication and collaboration tools are essential for syncing with hardware specialists, and developers must be proactive in documenting issues and sharing updates as drone firmware and software evolve. These factors make attention to detail and adaptability crucial skills in this remote role.
What are the most commonly searched types of Drone Developer jobs in California? The most popular types of Drone Developer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Remote Drone Developer jobs in California? For Remote Drone Developer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Remote Drone Developer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Remote Drone Developer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Remote Drone Developer jobs? Cities in California with the most Remote Drone Developer job openings:
Senior Software Engineer - Developer Productivity

Senior Software Engineer - Developer Productivity

Zipline

South San Francisco, CA • On-site, Remote

$170K - $210K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Posted 26 days ago


Job description

About Zipline

Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.

Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations.

Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.

We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.

About The Role

Zipline's software team is dedicated to rapidly delivering safety-critical software for our delivery drones. As a small team of software engineers, we build the essential tools that ensure a seamless development process. In this role, you will collaborate closely with software engineers across various domains, including autonomy, firmware, flight software, avionics, and simulation.

Your responsibilities will involve enhancing our CI/CD system, empowering teams to gain deeper insights from their PR workflows, and maintaining a smooth development flow. This position offers a dynamic blend of high-level strategic planning, such as identifying key investments and evaluating new tools, and deep dives into our codebase for debugging and improvements. You will also engage in customer-centric work, partnering with other software engineers on critical infrastructure, designing new pipelines, and facilitating code migrations to new platforms.

What You'll Do
  • Own our monorepo CI/CD pipelines (Github Action, Buildkite)
  • Maintain observability stack (Datadog, Grafana)
  • Improve the speed and reliability of our CI/CD pipeline (Bazel caching and remote execution)
  • Collaborate with engineers to materialize their CI requirements
  • Implement and operate bazel remote execution for custom hardware and cloud native environments
  • Build tooling to support engineering test flights
  • Improve the code review process and align company wide
  • Build bots and automation that delight the team
What You'll Bring
  • 8+ years of experience in a software development role at engineering-led companies
  • Expertise in developer tooling, modern tools and best practices
  • A generalist mindset, with excitement to own problems end-to-end
  • A customer-centric mindset, with an ability to quickly embed with other engineers and regularly pair program
  • Strong, defensible opinions on what makes an excellent software development experience
What Else You Need to Know
This role is an in-office opportunity based out of our South San Francisco HQ.
The starting cash range for this role is $170,000-210,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.
Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.
We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!