Halian Advertises Senior Flight-Control Software Role in Abu Dhabi
Halian is seeking a senior developer in Abu Dhabi to build and maintain embedded flight-control software for advanced autonomous platforms. The Bayt listing calls for at least eight years of embedded software experience, including five years with flight controllers, autopilot software, avionics or comparable safety-critical systems.
Mariam Al Mansoori
From hardware integration to flight testing
Advertised as Senior Software Developer - Flight Controller (m/f/d), the position spans the software lifecycle, from real-time C/C++ development and platform bring-up to validation and production release. The engineer would connect software to sensors, processors, communication interfaces and other hardware, then debug and optimize its performance.
Testing responsibilities extend from the bench and simulation environments to hardware-in-the-loop work, system integration and field or flight tests. The role also includes architecture decisions, technical design and code reviews, engineering documentation, defect resolution, static analysis and security verification.
The developer would work with hardware, systems, security, test, manufacturing and DevOps engineers. Delivery responsibilities include Git branching, merging, pull requests and release management, alongside CI/CD support, automated builds and tests, software packaging and firmware deployment.
Halian is the recruitment firm advertising the position. A Global HR World directory profile identifies it as a technology recruitment and workforce solutions company and NES Fircroft's dedicated technology business. Its offices span Europe, the Middle East, the United States and Southeast Asia, with locations including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Austin, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. It recruits across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, data, ERP and software engineering.
Autopilot, real-time systems and security skills
Candidates are expected to have brought embedded software through development, hardware integration, testing, validation and production release. The posting also seeks experience in autonomous systems, aerospace, robotics, UAVs or similarly complex real-time embedded environments.
Beyond advanced C/C++, the requirements include Python for scripting, engineering tools and test automation. Applicants should have hands-on experience with PX4 or an equivalent flight-control stack, plus MAVLink and ground control station integration through QGroundControl or a similar platform.
PX4 is an open-source autopilot for drones and other unmanned vehicles. Its GitHub project page lists support for NuttX, Linux and macOS and a BSD 3-Clause license. The Dronecode Foundation, a Linux Foundation project, hosts PX4, holds its trademarks and provides vendor-neutral governance.
The job calls for strong experience with real-time operating systems such as NuttX, including scheduling, POSIX, interprocess communication, memory protection and device drivers. It also requires ARM Cortex-based embedded development, hands-on hardware/software integration and familiarity with CAN-FD, SPI, I2C and UART interfaces.
Security work includes integrating and maintaining secure boot and trusted execution capabilities. The technologies named are ARM TrustZone, OP-TEE, Trusted Firmware, secure boot chains, eFUSE and OTP. Candidates should understand MISRA C and SEI CERT secure coding standards, as well as TLS, AES, RSA, ECC, PKI and key management.
The listing also seeks experience with static analysis and security tools such as Coverity, SonarQube or Black Duck, or equivalents. Working knowledge of MATLAB or similar tools is requested for testing, data analysis, simulation and validation, along with strong debugging and analytical skills.
Education and preferred qualifications
Applicants need a bachelor's degree in computer science, electronics, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering or a related technical field. A master's degree or PhD is an advantage rather than a requirement.
Knowledge or certification in safety-critical software standards such as DO-178C and/or ISO 26262 is highly desirable. Experience using MATLAB or equivalent tools for test and validation workflows is preferred. Bayt cautions that the job post was translated by AI and may contain minor differences or errors.
Abu Dhabi's autonomous technology initiatives
Separately, UAE organizations have announced plans to adopt autonomous flight technologies. At IDEX 2025, ADASI, part of the UAE's EDGE Group, said it would adopt Saluki and Perceptra, developed by Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute and offered through VentureOne, according to a Business Wire release.
Saluki combines a secure flight controller and mission computer with a Zero Trust architecture. It is compatible with PX4, provides 300 TOPS of computing power and supports multi-vehicle management. Perceptra uses vision-based navigation to operate without GPS in GNSS-denied environments.
The wider sector also figures in Abu Dhabi's economic projections. Speaking at Drift X 2025, part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week in November 2025, Ahmed Subra, Head of Value, Planning and Economic Zones Development at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, said the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) Cluster was projected to contribute AED 44 billion to Abu Dhabi's GDP and generate more than 35,000 jobs by 2045, Gulf News reported.
