Lead - Perception (UAVs)

The Perception Lead will own the perception architecture for Unmannd UAVs, leading development across vision, LiDAR, radar, and sensor fusion pipelines. You will lead the development of high-performance perception systems that integrate seamlessly with autonomy and control. This role requires both deep technical expertise and leadership skills to guide a cross-functional team.

• Perception System Development
  

• Lead development of UAV perception pipelines for object detection, tracking, mapping, and obstacle avoidance.
  

• Architect and optimize multi-sensor fusion frameworks (e.g., combining cameras, LiDAR, radar, GPS, IMU).
  

• Develop algorithms for SLAM (Simultaneous Localization & Mapping), 3D reconstruction, and terrain awareness.
  

• Ensure perception stack runs in real-time on embedded hardware.
  

• Algorithm Design & Optimization
  

• Develop and deploy ML/DL models for vision-based detection, semantic segmentation, and scene understanding.
  

• Implement robust algorithms for adverse environments (low-light, rain, fog, GPS-denied zones).
  

• Optimize for latency, robustness, and power efficiency in embedded systems.
  

• Integration & Testing
  

• Work with autonomy engineers to feed perception outputs into planning and navigation modules.
  

• Collaborate with controls engineers to enable perception-informed control loops (e.g., obstacle avoidance).
  

• Define perception testing protocols in simulation (Gazebo, AirSim, Isaac Sim) and real-world flight tests.
  

• Analyze UAV flight logs to improve perception performance and robustness.
  

• Research & Innovation
  

• Stay at the cutting edge of computer vision, robotics perception, and AI for autonomy.
  

• Evaluate and integrate state-of-the-art techniques (e.g., deep learning for perception, graph-SLAM, event-based vision).
  

• Contribute to long-term strategy for making UAV perception certifiable and safety-critical.
  

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, or related field.
  

• 6–10 years of experience in perception for robotics, drones, or autonomous vehicles.
  

• Strong expertise in:
  

  • Sensor fusion (EKF, UKF, particle filters).
    

  • SLAM and mapping frameworks (ORB-SLAM, Cartographer, RTAB-Map, LOAM).
    

  • Computer vision & ML/DL (OpenCV, PyTorch/TensorFlow, ROS).
    

• Hands-on experience with embedded systems & GPU acceleration (CUDA, TensorRT, Jetson, etc.).
  

• Experience in C++ and Python for robotics software development.
  

• Track record of deploying perception algorithms on real robots/UAVs.
  

• Ownership of Unmannd’s perception architecture and roadmap.
  

• Direct impact on enabling safe autonomous flight in real-world environments.
  

• Access to UAV hardware, flight testing, and high-performance compute resources.
  

• A startup environment with significant growth opportunities.
  

• Competitive salary, and stock options.