Principal Flight Test Engineer - UAV

About the role

EDGE is hiring a Principal Flight Test Engineer for its Integration & Test Team in ADASI, Abu Dhabi, with strong experience in UAV platforms. The role leads the planning, execution and analysis of complex flight test programs for UAV platforms, ensuring compliance with certification requirements, safety regulations and engineering objectives. It acts as a technical authority within the Flight Test Engineering team, guiding junior engineers and supporting strategic decisions on company-wide test activities.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as technical authority for defining, planning and executing complex UAV flight test campaigns.
• Review development specifications, technical and certification requirements and turn them into flight test objectives.
• Lead preparation of Flight Test Plans, Test Hazard Assessments and Flight Test Reports in line with the ADASI Flight Test Operations Manual.
• Define and oversee requirements for Flight Test Instrumentation, telemetry and aircraft test configurations.
• Manage flight test execution: planning, monitoring, control, safety assurance, reporting and closure.
• Ensure adherence to aeronautical rules, laws and local flight testing regulations.
• Act as primary liaison with certification authorities, MOD and external stakeholders on flight test matters.
• Drive compliance with the Company SMS, AS9100D, ISO 9001 and aviation safety standards.

Required profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Systems, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering or a related field; Master's or advanced flight test training preferred.
• 12+ years of experience in flight test engineering.
• Experience in UAV or manned aircraft flight testing, including system-level and full-aircraft integration.
• Preferred: Certified Flight Test Engineer Category II or higher (Category I preferred).
• Familiarity with civil and military flight test regulations (EASA, FAA, GCAA, MIL standards).
• English proficiency required.

Required skills

• Flight test planning, instrumentation and data analysis.
• Proficiency with engineering tools such as Matlab, Python and telemetry analysis software.
• Technical writing, documentation and reporting.
• Leadership and mentoring of junior and senior engineers.

What we offer

• Tax-free salaries that are highly competitive.
• Benefits that may include family visas, annual flight tickets, medical insurance for you and your dependents, and education allowances for children.
• A learning academy and digital learning platforms for skill development and career growth.