PostDoc Position in Robust AI-based Guidance and Navigation for Drone Swarms

L'ENAC, École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile, est la plus importante des Grandes Écoles ou universités aéronautiques en Europe. Elle forme à un spectre large de métiers : des ingénieurs ou des professionnels de haut niveau capables de concevoir et faire évoluer les systèmes aéronautiques et plus largement ceux du transport aérien ainsi que des pilotes de ligne, des contrôleurs aériens ou encore des techniciens aéronautiques.

Ses laboratoires de recherche sont à la pointe de l'innovation et travaillent activement en coopération avec des universités internationales de haut niveau pour un transport aérien toujours plus sûr, efficace et durable.

L'ENAC est un établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel – grand établissement (EPSCP-GE), sous tutelle de la DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile), Direction du Ministère de la Transition Écologique et Solidaire. L'ENAC comprend une direction générale localisée à Toulouse et 8 sites en France.

Pour soutenir sa dynamique en faveur de la promotion de la diversité, l'ENAC facilite l'accueil et l'intégration des travailleurs en situation de handicap.

ENAC's Dynamic Systems Research Axis is seeking an outstanding Postdoctoral Researcher to join the ambitious PercepDrone project, dedicated to developing perception-aware, robust guidance and navigation frameworks for drone swarms operating in challenging environments.

This position offers a unique opportunity for an experienced researcher to shape next-generation swarm autonomy while collaborating across two complementary research projects.

Project Summary:

PercepDrone aims to build an advanced AI framework enabling collaborative perception and robust navigation for drone swarms. Using visual–LiDAR multimodal fusion, geometric learning, and neural ODE–based models, the project develops mechanisms for:

• Obstacle recognition and depth estimation in adverse conditions (fog, snow, low illumination, etc.)

• Collaborative inference across drones using temporal and spatial correlations

• Perception-aware swarm guidance and navigation

• Integration and empirical validation through drone-based experiments

You will work in close collaboration with an existing PhD student and postdoctoral researcher specializing in HMI/HCI.

Responsibilities:

As the new Postdoctoral Researcher, you will:

· Lead research on swarm guidance and navigation, familiarity with vector based guidance methods is a plus.

· Supervise and mentor PhD students working on guidance, navigation, and multi-agent coordination.

· Contribute to the integration of perception-aware guidance algorithms into real-world drone platforms.

· Assist in experimental validation of perception-aware guidance algorithms.

· Present and publish results in scientific conferences and journals.

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher who can operate autonomously while thriving in interdisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate has:

· PhD in Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Control Systems, AI for Robotics, or a related field.

· Strong expertise in swarm guidance, ideally with vector-based or geometry-inspired methods.

· Demonstrated experience with multi-agent or swarm robotic systems.

· Ability to supervise and guide PhD students.

· Solid understanding of navigation, collision avoidance, and autonomous multi-drone coordination.

· Excellent communication skills and ability to work across multiple teams.

· Strong research skills, with a track record of publishing in high-quality venues.

· Proficiency in English (spoken and written).

· Experience with drone flight tests or experimental UAV campaigns.

· Interest in human–swarm interaction, VR-assisted supervision, or human-centred system design.

· Familiarity with Python, C++ software environments for robotics.

· Willingness to engage with two complementary research teams and act as a scientific bridge.

Research Environment:

Join our innovative research team at ENAC, renowned for national and international projects including VOLTIGE, SKYSCANNER, NEPHELAE, PANTHEON, PANACHE, FIREFLIES, and ATLAS. Benefit from exceptional facilities and expertise:

· A large indoor flight arena (10x10x10 meters) with an OptiTrack motion capture system.

· Dedicated outdoor flight facility at Muret, near Toulouse.

· In-house developed Paparazzi open-source autopilot system.

We tackle significant practical and theoretical challenges in UAS technology, airspace management, and multi-agent autonomous systems.

Application Process:

The application should include a cover letter, a detailed curriculum vitae, a list of publications/projects (if there are any…), and the name and contact information of at least one reference. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further interview and discussion.