At Elroy Air, we are building autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) cargo aircraft systems that will change the way the world moves goods. Transporting cargo by air has so much potential! It’s much faster than by land or sea, but before recent developments in perception, autonomy, electric powertrain and aerospace materials – air transport has remained expensive. We’re going to change that. And we’re solving big problems; the commercial express logistics industry worldwide needs faster + better transport and spends $140B annually, and our men and women in uniform need a reliable unmanned aerial cargo delivery system.
Our future partners and customers are responding enthusiastically. As we prepare to fly our vehicles with customers, we are looking for people like you: motivated teammates excited by this mission and by the rare opportunity to develop a world-class autonomous aerial logistics system. You will play a critical role in bringing the Elroy Air system to the world.
As a UAS Test Pilot, you will contribute to our growing aircraft flight test team. An ideal candidate for this role will be excited at the prospect of working out in the field 4-5 days per week building time and cycles on a novel aircraft system. You should have a strong demonstrated passion for aviation in model aircraft, UAS, and/or manned flight. This role requires a solid foundation of the basic principles of how aircraft fly (fixed-wing and rotorcraft) and their subsystems.
What You’ll Own
- Routinely operating our proof-of-concept aircraft as a safety pilot or from the ground control station
- Organizing and leading the execution of flight tests, flight readiness reviews, and flight debriefs
- Developing flight manuals and supporting documentation as necessary to operate the vehicles and participating in the development of company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Perform flight test engineering duties including test card preparation, test direction and other control room responsibilities
- Organizing and leading flight test planning and logistics and coordination with the appropriate airspace management authority for the test range
- Providing operational feedback for the development and validation of aircraft CONOPs
Our ideal candidate has
- Experience and interest in operating unmanned systems
- At least 3 years flight test experience, with at least 50 hours experimental or certification flight test experience as test pilot
- A minimum of 1,000 hours pilot in command flight time
- Fixed Wing and/or Rotorcraft Commercial Certificate
- Intimate knowledge of General Operating and Flight Rules (14 CFR Part 91)
- Display piloting proficiency in RC fixed wing, helicopter, and multirotors
- Experience with electric, or hybrid electric aircraft
- Experience in operating new systems in a R&D environment
- Able to adapt to shifting priorities and goals
- Ability to communicate clearly even under high pressure situations
- Maintain focus during extended flight operations
- Comfortable working in an outdoor environment, multiple days a week, where you may be exposed to rain, snow, and extreme heat or cold
- Ability to travel and be deployed on projects domestic and international
Bonus points for
- Long-course graduate of recognized test pilot school
- Familiarity with FAR part 135
- Flight test DER qualification
- Basic mechanical and electrical integration skills
- Experience with multiple autopilots (Piccolo, Pixhawk, etc)
- Background in risk analysis and mitigation
Elroy Air values and strives for diversity in our workforce and does not discriminate based on applicant identity in accordance with equal employment opportunities and federal, state, and local law. We define diversity as a variety of perspectives, life experiences, and backgrounds that form a person’s identity. This includes not just gender identity and race, but also; ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender expression, religion, age, ability, parenthood status, veteran status, citizenship status, or any combination of these characteristics.
We encourage you to apply even if you aren’t an exact match for our open role, many of our team members come from nontraditional backgrounds.
All employees will be screened through E-Verify.