At Aurora Avionics, innovation is driven by people who thrive on solving complex problems. Few embody that spirit more than our Head of Software, Jonathan Lupin, better known around the team as “Jono.”
From embedded systems and avionics platforms to software architecture and testing frameworks, Jono plays a central role in shaping the technology behind Aurora Avionics products.
We sat down with him to talk about his journey into aerospace, what software engineering really looks like in avionics, and the mindset behind building reliable, scalable systems.
Q: Hi Jono, what’s your role at Aurora Avionics?
Jono: I’m the Lead Software Engineer at Aurora Avionics. In practice, that means I wear a lot of hats.
Software at Aurora spans many different disciplines. We work on embedded software running directly on microcontrollers, Linux-based applications on embedded devices, and desktop applications that customers interact with. On top of that, the software team also supports much of the company’s IT infrastructure, testing environments, and system architecture.
A good way of describing software here is that it’s the glue holding everything together. It interacts directly with the hardware, firmware, testing systems, and ultimately the customer experience.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you?
Jono: No two days are really the same.
I usually try to get meetings and team discussions done first thing in the morning so I can spend focused time coding later in the day, normally with some heavy metal playing in the background.
A lot of my time is spent bridging gaps between disciplines. One moment I might be debugging signals on hardware with an oscilloscope, and the next I’m working on application software, architecture planning, or automated testing systems.
We also put a strong emphasis on ownership within the team. Everyone has responsibility for specific areas, but because everything connects together, collaboration is essential.
Q: How did you get into avionics and aerospace?
Jono: I’ve always been interested in technology and engineering.
I grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe, where I spent a lot of time around tools, machinery, and tractors. That naturally sparked an interest in electronics and problem-solving.
When I moved to the UK at 16, I initially explored IT, but I found it a little too detached from the physical side of engineering. Electronics felt like the perfect balance between hardware and software, so I pursued that path through my HNC and eventually into engineering roles.
My move into aerospace came when I joined Orbex. I saw it as an opportunity to enter the space industry and challenge myself in a completely new environment.
Q: What excites you most about the software challenges at Aurora?
Jono: The breadth of it.
People often think software is just writing code, but in avionics it becomes much more than that. We’re building systems that need to be safe, reliable, scalable, and able to interact seamlessly with hardware and customers alike.
One of Aurora Avionics core goals is to develop aerospace systems that are flexible, configurable, and designed to meet customer needs without the complexity traditionally associated with bespoke solutions.
That means building platforms that are flexible, open-ended, and robust enough to handle a huge variety of use cases.
And honestly, that final 10–20%, the part that makes systems reliable, safe, and production-ready, that’s where the real engineering challenge is.
Q: Testing and reliability are obviously critical in aerospace. How does Aurora Avionics approach that?
Jono: Testing is a massive part of what we do.
Every function of a product needs to be verified and proven, and software often becomes the easiest and most scalable way to do that.
A lot of my previous experience shaped how we approach this at Aurora Avionics. At Tridonic, I learned about safety-critical hardware testing, while at Orbex I gained much deeper exposure to software-centric testing, CI/CD pipelines, and automated environments using tools like Jenkins and GitLab.
One thing I strongly believe in is full integration testing. Even if software passes isolated tests, once hardware interactions are introduced, small differences can quickly become major issues in complex systems.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with the Aurora team?
Jono: Definitely the passion and depth of knowledge across the company.
Everyone here has a specialist subject they’re deeply invested in, and when you get them talking about it, you can end up in fascinating conversations for hours.
That level of enthusiasm creates a really strong engineering culture where people genuinely care about what they’re building.
Q: Is there a mentor or experience that shaped your approach to engineering?
Jono: My time at Tridonic had a huge impact on me.
I was mentored by several excellent engineers there, and it taught me a lot about disciplined engineering, safety-critical systems, and product quality.
I also learned some important lessons from larger engineering environments, particularly that over-documentation and overly rigid processes can sometimes slow down real engineering progress.
Good engineering is about balance.
Q: What keeps you busy outside of work?
Jono: My two kids definitely keep me busy most of the time.
Outside of that, I enjoy PC gaming, electronics projects, 3D printing, PC building, and DIY work.
The two games that immediately come to mind are Counter-Strike and Factorio. I used to compete in Counter-Strike tournaments when I was younger, and Factorio scratches the same part of my brain as software architecture does.
Designing modular, scalable factories in Factorio has a surprising number of similarities to designing good software systems.
Q: Finally, if you could have invented any piece of technology, what would it be?
Jono: A personal flight device.
Living in the Highlands, you’re constantly surrounded by incredible landscapes and mountains, and I’d love the ability to just fly a little higher and explore more of it. Either that, or teleportation to the next mountain peak.
Behind every advanced aerospace platform is a team of engineers passionate about creating technology that genuinely moves the industry forward.
Jono’s leadership within Aurora Avionics software team reflects the strength of the talent driving the company forward. A commitment to rigorous engineering practices, combined with a focus on adaptability and innovation, continues to set Aurora Avionics apart as the company grows. It’s this blend of engineering depth, product thinking, and ambitious vision that is shaping the future of next-generation avionics.
If you’d like to learn more about our team, our technology, or how we can support your mission, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch with us to explore what we can build together.
