Andres Usandivaras is a seasoned software engineer and innovator with a hands-on approach to integrating hardware and software in his designs. With over 20 years of experience at top S&P 500 companies in the technology and finance sectors, he has cultivated a deep technical expertise, driven by his passion for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Andres has an impressive career trajectory, holding key leadership roles at globally recognized organizations: Vice President at Morgan Stanley (Institutional Securities Technology Group, New York, 2010-2011), Executive Director at Citigroup (Fixed Income Derivatives, New York, 2011-2013), Principal Engineer at Microsoft (Seattle, 2013-2019), Senior Staff Engineer at Google (Seattle, 2019-2023), and Senior Principal Engineer at Atlassian (2024–Present). In these roles, he defined technological visions, spearheaded the development of mission-critical software systems, and managed cross-functional teams to deliver impactful solutions.

In the finance sector, Andres focused on designing software systems for trading platforms and proprietary financial research, with a specialization in cybersecurity. His experience in the high-stakes financial environment—where data security is paramount—proved instrumental in developing the robust defenses later employed at WingIt, his UAV venture. This foundation enabled WingIt to defend its products against hacking and jamming attacks, setting a new standard for security in the UAV industry.

During the mid-2000s, as artificial intelligence was gaining traction, Andres recognized its potential and transitioned to the West Coast to pursue roles at leading technology firms where he could work on predictive AI projects. A few years later, the emergence of drones piqued his interest. Inspired by the innovation occurring within the UAV hobbyist community, Andres began experimenting with early prototypes. His first drone project repurposed the Nintendo Wii’s gyroscope-accelerometer controller, integrating it with a basic CPU to monitor position, orientation, and acceleration for motor control.

As the UAV industry evolved from a niche hobby into a commercial powerhouse, Andres became an active contributor to open-source projects that laid the groundwork for modern UAV technology. In 2014, he founded WingIt LLC, assembling top talent from the UAV community to develop cutting-edge intellectual property and technology assets for the growing industry.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Andres deepened his focus on electromagnetism fundamentals and radio frequency applications. This period saw him build his first radar systems, which ultimately led to the development of WingIt’s NIMBUS (Networked Interceptor for Malicious Bots and UAV Swarms) program—a groundbreaking initiative in UAV technology.