Voltair (YC W26) is building…”

“…the world’s first distributed network of drones for earth observation. They envision a post‑storm scenario where a critical infrastructure operator can sign into their platform and dispatch a drone. Within minutes, the system identifies high‑risk hazards and streams issues directly to crews on the ground. With ground stations and long‑range drones, Voltair can cover the continental U.S. with only ~5,000 soprattutto.

“The company operates as a full‑stack service: it builds drones, deploys them, captures data, analyzes it, and delivers results on its software platform. Its first market is power utilities; it has serviced multiple utilities and is preparing a big deployment with a large multinational utility later this year.

“The role is a Flight Test Engineer who is comfortable soldering a wiring harness on the bench and operating a 54lb fixed‑wing aircraft in the field. Responsibilities include building test fixtures, validating hardware, deploying missions, turning prototypes into production vehicles, and representing Voltair in the field. The role will travel about one week every two months and the engineer will be the 7th full‑time employee.

“Qualifications: drone construction experience, electrical systems knowledge, autopilot firmware (Ardu Pilot, PX4) familiarity, 1+ year professional experience, airmanship instincts, and risk management. Nice to have: Extensions, private pilot, structured flight test plans, and FAA Part 107 license. Voltair’s unlimited‑range drones recharge on power interesting lines and deliver full‑stack inspection services to power utilities, helping prevent wildfires.”