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Jørgen Apeland – R&D Engineer and PhD Candidate

Get to know our people at the research and development department, as they share their insight into working with unmanned technology. This time, we get to know Jørgen, our very own R&D engineer and PhD student. We asked Jørgen some questions, to get to know him better.

What is the daily activity of the R&D department? 

“Three of the core missions for the R&D department is to:

(i) develop our own products and solutions

(ii) support customers with custom development projects

(iii) to support the main business activities of Nordic Unmanned with high technical competence and insights.

We are privileged to have an ocean of development opportunities, so day-to-day, we do our best to navigate those opportunities and make the most efficient use of the resources available to create maximum value for Nordic Unmanned. We are also working to build a strong department for the future.”

Why is it important for NU to have an R&D department? 

“Unmanned Aviation is a young industry in very rapid development. Having a strong and capable R&D department allows us to stay at the “cutting-edge” of the industry, capture more opportunities, and support Nordic Unmanned in making good strategic decisions.

Being a provider of unmanned systems and unmanned operations gives us a strong competitive advantage. By exploiting the company’s operational experience, we can develop better and more relevant solutions, providing additional value to our customers.”

How is it working with research revolving unmanned systems?

“It is very rewarding to take part in shaping a new industry and being part of a winning team. There are so much experience, high-quality focus, and “just-do-it” mentality melting together, making every day unique and exciting.”

How is the future looking for unmanned systems? In terms of endurance, speed, take-off weight, capability etc? 

“The industry is moving fast, and many developments are happening all the time. The future is definitely looking bright for unmanned aviation. One of the most important aspects at the moment is adapting to new airworthiness regulations. In terms of technology, there are many things happening with sensor systems and onboard processing capabilities for navigation and autonomous features. There are also many novel payload developments and a trend towards specialized systems and end-to-end solutions for specific applications.”

We look forward to see what the future holds for Jørgen and our R&D department!