Tom S. Pittenger
1889 N. Carson Ave  Clovis, CA 93619  (559) 696-5440  magicrub@gmail.com
Introduction
I am an embedded systems engineer who has a passion for drone technology. I have spent the past 10 years working on signal
processing and robotics/UAV/auto pilot technology, some as open-source, developing hardware, firmware and software. Projects
have included a cell-phone based drone fly-by-internet system, an auto-launch ramp system for medium sized UAV launching,
and an Edwards AFB funded research project for a gimbal mounted laser targeting system. I am seeking a position in the UAV
sector to accomplish my dream of helping revolutionize the drone industry for the greater good.
Qualifications
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10 years of professional hardware and software embedded system design experience specializing in real-time micro-controller
and signal processing applications
Developer for multiple open source UAV auto-pilots: ArduPilot (APM) and MatrixPilot (UDB - UAV Dev Board)
Programming languages include C, C++, C#, Java (with and without Android) plus Bash and Batch scripting
Experience in industry level schematic and circuit design, hobby level PCB design and layout
Experience in signal processing and conditioning in both analog and digital domains
Experience in engineering tools such as oscilloscopes, multi-meters, protocol analyzers and spectrum analyzers
Experience in threading and multitasking techniques such as interrupt driven events, semaphores, and cooperative multitasking
Been the lead engineer for multiple products through all phases including whiteboard design, prototype, QC, board bringup,
firmware and software development , manufacturing, and product customer support
Expert in drivers and protocols for SPI, I²C, RS232, CAN, USB, TCP/UDP/IP in embedded applications
Education:
California State University, Fresno
MS Electrical Engineering, 2010 (Thesis: “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Internet Based Flight Control System”) ( paper) (video) (.ppt)
BS Computer Engineering, 2006 (Senior Project: “Real-Time Broadcast Surround-Sound Audio Delay Monitor”) (paper)
Professional Experience:
Airphrame – SF/Oakland/Clovis, California
Jan 2015 – Current
Firmware/Mechatronics Engineer
 Lead firmware developer maintaining an ArduPilot based autopilot codebase for land surveying aerial imagery purposes.
Crash and Burn Solutions – Sunnyvale/Clovis, California
Jan 2013 – Current
Co-Founder
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Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airspace Operations Challenge (UAS AOC, NASA) contest. Completed exploratory work.
Improved dead reckoning algorithm of open source autopilot to tolerate loss-of-GPS, spoofed GPS, and started developing object
avoidance ability utilizing ADS-B.
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Added UDP/IP support to open-source autopilot for Hardware-In-the-Loop simulator using X-Plane for object avoidance.
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Developing UAV-FPV based dog fighting product for mass-production. Work included circuit design, part selection, PCB
design/layout, board bringup, debugging, and firmware development.
Trimble Navigation – Sunnyvale, California
(3.5 years) Jun 2011 – Dec 2014
Firmware Engineer, Agriculture Division
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Developed systems to support tractor autopilot system, features and peripherals. Core developer of sprayer boom height control
system based a PID based system.
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Designed an IP interface for an embedded ultrasonic sensor using LwIP and integrated it into Trimble's custom embedded OS.
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Created in-house C# application to visualize 1Mb/s data stream in real-time.
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Ported very large C/C++ project (~50k lines) to Android Java based system
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Trimble system administrator for multiple Linux systems (CentOS/Ubuntu). Responsibilities include bringup,
managing/expanding (slaving) Jenkins and Bamboo continuous integration build tools.
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Designer of a dynamic “script” based regression testing tool to analyze nightly builds automatically across our product line.
Inovonics, Inc. – Felton/Santa Cruz, California
Embedded Systems Design Engineer
(4.5 years) Jan 2007 – Jun 2011
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Full time lead firmware and software developer for new products. Planned, developed, and debugged embedded products for FM
radio broadcast equipment including digital audio processors, UDP/TCP/IP audio web casting, and Radio Data Service
(RDS/RBDS) encoders.
Provided customer support for existing and legacy products.
Turned ideas into projects, projects into products, and followed products through manufacturing and validation phases.
Exhibitor at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference in Las Vegas as Inovonics technical expert.
Used Microchip PIC18/32 micro-controllers for UI via graphic LCDs with external connectivity using RS232, USB and IP for
system control.
Introduced and administrated key technologies including bug tracking (Bugzilla) and source control (SVN).
Designed all schematics, software, and firmware for the following products: Model 261, 703, 720, 730, 632, 719
Tomtronics LLC – Clovis, California
(1.5 years) June 2005 – Dec 2006
Founder, Embedded Systems Engineer
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Contracted to design a digital audio processor for Inovonics, Model 261.
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Converted analog processor algorithms into digital. Incorporated analog characteristics to replicate the behavior of its
predecessor while increasing audio quality and adding digital features.
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Designed all systems including schematic, LCD UI, and algorithms.
Pappas Telecasting – Fresno, California
(1 year) Jan 2005 – Mar 2006
Project Engineer
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Project lead for HDTV upgrades for both FOX26 and WB59’s TV stations. Upgrades required complete overhaul of TV station
infrastructure to an IT based solution while retaining existing analog system integrity. Planning consisted of AutoCAD schematic
drawings of current/future equipment, installation, and integration plans. Upgrades included an installation of a new 8000W
digital transmitter.
 Assisted with maintaining seven high power AM/FM/TV transmitter sites: KTRB860AM, KVBE107.5FM, KFRE-59, KMPH26, KMPH-26backup, KMPH17, and KBFX58.
Leadership Activities:
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Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) –Student chairman at Fresno State 2003, 2008
Member of Eta Kappa Nu – Electrical/Computer Engineering honors society
Presented several technical workshops for students at Fresno State including embedded IP networks and serial communications
Tools and Skills:
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IDE: MPLab, Visual Studio, Eclipse, VisualDSP++, Arduino
PCB design using Eagle. Built a few 2 layer designs and one 4 layer.
Created products using ADI Blackfin, SigmaDSP, Microchip PIC/dsPIC, and STM32F processors
Intermediate Linux admin experience, creating and managing servers hosting hundreds of users
Continuous Integration (CI/CD) – Bamboo, Jenkins and Travis
Revision control: CVS, SVN and Git/Gerrit
Bug tracking: Jira, Bugzilla, Gitthub Issues
Remote Function Calls (RFC) - Thrift
Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
Expert micro-controller expertise in all Microchip PIC family processors (8, 16 and 32bit)
Light/Medium duty user interface (UI) work using C# WinForms, Java dialog and Android including network connectivity
SMD Soldering
Open-source hardware/software developer and advocate
Projects:
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Co-created auto-launch ramp (and firmware) for medium sized UAV launching ( goo.gl/x0H4PH)
Created a DIY reflow oven to bake my custom SMD based PCBs ( goo.gl/M3G92J)
Technical lead for a UAV with a gimbal based laser targeting system. $150k budget /w Edwards AFB ( csufuav.com)
Developer for an open-source autopilot system for RC airplanes featured on DIYdrones.com and Sparkfun ( goo.gl/DrWWB)
Designed an RC airplane to be flown remotely via the Internet using an Android cell phone as mobile data link (bit.ly/e8iHXB
and goo.gl/pI6reh)
Undergrad projects: Large LED sign 2003 (for department & IEEE propaganda), MicroMouse 2004 (small robot maze
navigation contest), Bulldog Bot 2005 (wheelchair based robot)