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This is a great write up, I really appreciate it, thanks. The recommendation around building my own drone controller is a good one, several years together I sp

by c54 5y ago

This is a great write up, I really appreciate it, thanks. The recommendation around building my own drone controller is a good one, several years together I specced out and built a drone controlled by ardupilot so I’ve at least played with the off-the-shelf version. Do you think rust is going to gain steam in the industry over the next decade? Was this your career path right out of the gates or did you come in to it after time doing other things? i work in the finance/trading industry right now but not too close to any hft hardware

mendigou 5y ago
My very first job out of school was in a local company writing enterprise software and I hated it, lasted only a few months. Then I enlisted in a uni research project to build a Cubesat as a systems engineer, and after a couple of years I moved to the agency. I haven't seen many career hoppers, but I'd say it's doable. I would try to enter through the ground software path: mission control systems or simulators. Those employ more "pure" software people. From there it's a matter of being in touch with the embedded guys and show that you can do it. Simulators are great for that; they're basically a piece of software that emulates the onboard processor and simulates all the other sensors and actuators so operators can train and validate the on-board software. You have to be in touch with the onboard software developers, because there are always lots of kinks to iron out (e.g. I once had to fix a bug that a compiler optimization introduced, making magnetorquers always "max out" on actuation). If you're in trading, I assume you're proficient in C++? If so, that's a great asset already. About Rust: I love Rust and I use it in my embedded work now. I think it would be very beneficial for space applications. That said, there is a long way until it's accepted in the space industry. Ferrous Systems[1] is working on it, but it will take a long time; it's a slow industry. Perhaps it will start being accepted by the end of the decade. Another idea for a side project: amateur rocketry! [1] https://ferrous-systems.com/ferrocene/ https://ferrous-systems.com/ferrocene/
- c54 5y ago
  Lot to think about thanks again. Ferrous systems is already on my radar ;)
- mendigou 5y ago
  Also my background was more EE oriented than CS oriented: analog & digital electronics, signal processing, radio, etc. We did do a fair amount of software and CS but nothing compared to pure CS people.

by c54 5y ago

mendigou 5y ago

My very first job out of school was in a local company writing enterprise software and I hated it, lasted only a few months. Then I enlisted in a uni research project to build a Cubesat as a systems engineer, and after a couple of years I moved to the agency. I haven't seen many career hoppers, but I'd say it's doable. I would try to enter through the ground software path: mission control systems or simulators. Those employ more "pure" software people. From there it's a matter of being in touch with the embedded guys and show that you can do it. Simulators are great for that; they're basically a piece of software that emulates the onboard processor and simulates all the other sensors and actuators so operators can train and validate the on-board software. You have to be in touch with the onboard software developers, because there are always lots of kinks to iron out (e.g. I once had to fix a bug that a compiler optimization introduced, making magnetorquers always "max out" on actuation). If you're in trading, I assume you're proficient in C++? If so, that's a great asset already. About Rust: I love Rust and I use it in my embedded work now. I think it would be very beneficial for space applications. That said, there is a long way until it's accepted in the space industry. Ferrous Systems[1] is working on it, but it will take a long time; it's a slow industry. Perhaps it will start being accepted by the end of the decade. Another idea for a side project: amateur rocketry! [1] https://ferrous-systems.com/ferrocene/ https://ferrous-systems.com/ferrocene/

c54 5y ago
Lot to think about thanks again. Ferrous systems is already on my radar ;)
mendigou 5y ago
Also my background was more EE oriented than CS oriented: analog & digital electronics, signal processing, radio, etc. We did do a fair amount of software and CS but nothing compared to pure CS people.