Chief Technology Officer

Overview

Advanced Drone Solutions is seeking a highly experienced and technical Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead the development and evolution of our next-generation drone platform.

This is a leadership role with full ownership over our product line, including continued iteration, system architecture, and long-term technology strategy. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in GPS-denied navigation, autonomy systems, and robotics software, and will be capable of driving both hands-on development and high-level technical direction.

This role is best suited for someone who thrives in a startup environment – comfortable wearing multiple hats, operating with limited resources, and building systems from the ground up. Compensation and benefits will scale with the company as we grow.

Company Profile:

Advanced Drone Solutions is a technology company focused on building next-generation drone systems designed to operate in complex, real-world environments.

Our flagship platform, the Stratos drone, is purpose-built for exterior high-rise cleaning – environments where traditional GPS-based navigation fails. Through this work, we are developing advanced autonomy capabilities that extend beyond a single product into broader applications across the drone industry.

We are committed to solving some of the hardest problems in drone navigation and autonomy, with a focus on safety, reliability, and real-world performance.

Role Overview:

As CTO, you will take full ownership of our drone platform and underlying autonomy stack. This includes continuing development of existing systems, refining architecture, and leading future innovation.

You will be responsible for advancing our capabilities in GPS-denied navigation, perception, and control systems, while also building and leading a high-performance engineering team.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role, requiring flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to operate across multiple domains as the company evolves.

Compensation Structure:

Salary Equity

Key Responsibilities:

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities. Other related duties may arise that fall under this role.

• Own and lead the technical direction of ADS’s drone platform and autonomy systems
• Continue development and iteration of the existing Stratos drone architecture
• Design and implement GPS-denied navigation systems using technologies such as VIO, SLAM, and sensor fusion
• Architect and refine autonomy systems for real-world deployment in complex environments
• Oversee both hardware and software integration across the full system stack
• Lead development of perception, localization, and control pipelines
• Establish engineering best practices, development workflows, and system documentation
• Recruit, build, and manage a high-performing engineering team
• Work closely with leadership on product roadmap, timelines, and technical feasibility
• Contribute across functions as needed in a startup environment (product, testing, field ops, etc.)
• Ensure systems are scalable, reliable, and ready for commercialization

Ideal Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Has deep experience in robotics, autonomous systems, or drone technology
• Has worked extensively with GPS-denied navigation systems
• Is highly proficient in VIO, SLAM, and multi-sensor fusion approaches
• Is comfortable owning both high-level architecture and low-level implementation
• Thrives in fast-paced startup environments and is willing to wear multiple hats
• Understands that early-stage companies require flexibility, adaptability, and resourcefulness
• Is aligned with a compensation structure that evolves with company growth (salary equity upside)
• Has experience taking products from prototype to production
• Is capable of leading and scaling an engineering team
• Is motivated by solving technically difficult, real-world problems
• Possesses strong written and verbal communication skills

Minimum Qualifications:

• 4 years of experience in robotics, drone systems, or autonomous systems
• Proven experience with GPS-denied navigation (VIO, SLAM, sensor fusion, etc.)
• Strong software background (C , Python, ROS or similar frameworks)
• Experience with perception systems, state estimation, and control systems
• Experience integrating hardware and software in robotic systems
• Familiarity with flight controllers and autonomy stacks (e.g., ArduPilot, PX4)
• Experience deploying systems in real-world environments (not just simulation)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience building or leading engineering teams
• Background in aerospace, robotics, or computer vision
• Experience with edge computing and onboard processing systems
• Familiarity with manufacturing considerations and productization
• Prior startup or early-stage company experience

Future Opportunities:

• Lead and shape the long-term technical vision of the company
• Build and scale a full engineering organization
• Direct influence over product, strategy, and company trajectory
• Equity participation aligned with company growth
• Opportunity to define a new category in drone autonomy

Pay: $72,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Do you have experience with GPS-denied navigation systems (VIO, SLAM, sensor fusion)?
• Have you led or contributed to the development of autonomous robotic systems?
• Do you have experience integrating hardware and software in drone or robotics platforms?
• Are you comfortable operating in a hands-on leadership role within a startup environment?

Experience:

• Robotics: 4 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Los Angeles, CA 91335 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $72,000 - $100,000