OxTS has worked with countless development teams to select suitable base components and customise where necessary to produce solutions to meet their customers’ needs – offering scalability, performance, and commercially viable price points. OxTS draws on over 20 years of expertise and market leadership in inertial navigation. Vehicles around the world are being guided with position, orientation and motion data from OxTS components right now. Developing business solutions for clients seeking support with robotaxis, industrial automation, ports and logistics, aerial mobility and drones, autonomous mining vehicles and more is Dr Daniel Waldron. Here he shares a ‘day in his life’:
1. When did you join OxTS, and what appealed to you about working for the Company?
I joined OxTS January 2021, looking for a forward-facing technology company to join that is looking to solve interesting technical challenges in important applications. With a rich history in automotive test and validation, OxTS is now at the forefront of developing autonomous vehicles, solving some of the thorniest sensor challenges through our inertial navigation system (INS) technology. To make an autonomous vehicle, you must know where you are at all times, in all environments and under all conditions. OxTS have been solving these positional problems for the past twenty years for automotive testing and we’re now applying that expertise to offer solutions that can navigate, anywhere, in real time.
2. What’s a ‘typical’ day at work for you, as an OxTS Business Development Manager?
I have one of the best jobs in the company, as there is no typical day! My role by its nature is highly varied, one minute I may be joining a call with a customer who is looking at the xNAV650 and straight afterwards I could be discussing our sensor fusion roadmap and how it solves problems in portside applications. What is consistent however is our focus on creating value for our customers, really understanding the application, and delivering effective solutions. My role is a key link between our customers and their real-world challenges, and OxTS’ solutions. It’s a great mix of technical and commercial disciplines that allows me to interact with loads of interesting people across the business, and around the world.
3. What’s the most satisfying thing about your job, and why?
The most satisfying part of my job is getting alignment between customers and all the areas of the business to deliver something innovative and useful into the world. At OxTS we’re mainly a group of engineers and scientists who are keen to push navigation technology forward. That sense of achievement when the groups’ ideas, hard work and creativity becomes a new ‘thing’ in the world, that is the most satisfying feeling. It’s why we’re all here – to use our understanding to make the world better.
4. What’s the most challenging thing about being OxTS’ Business Development Manager, and how do you overcome this?
The most challenging thing in my role is to articulate to potential customers why OxTS should be your sensor partner, rather than doing sensor fusion in house. I’ve worked within technical markets all my career, including explosive and IoT applications, but our INS is the most technically sophisticated product I have brought to market. What we achieve in our INS at the price point is remarkable, based upon a deep understanding of sensor behaviour, impact of production processes on sensor performance, statistical modelling, and precision calibration. Often a customer will try to accelerate their entry into a market using our INS, with a view to developing a separate system further down the road. This can be achieved, but it’s very likely to end up more expensive and almost certainly not to the same quality as OxTS. Thankfully, once users trial our units, they usually stick with us as a development partner.
5. What do you enjoy most about being part of the OxTS team?
OxTS is genuinely one of the best companies I have worked for, with a very inclusive, balanced culture where everyone is both focused on delivering for the company whilst appreciating you have a life outside of work. In the company everyone is both welcoming and smart – a potent combination that allows you to rapidly upskill whilst learning from real subject matter experts. This focus on skilled, personable people really comes through in the culture of the company, which is both highly collaborative and mutually supportive. Everyone wants you to succeed in role and they will help you achieve that.
6. What’s your go-to productivity trick?
It’s boring as anything, but I find a daily to-do list the single best productivity trick. Its great for a few reasons, but mainly it stops anything ‘slipping through the cracks’, especially when you are busy, and it also identifies the ‘big hairy tasks’ that you may be putting off that never quite make it to the top of the list. It’s simple, it keeps you honest and keeps you on track.
7. What are you most looking forward to in the next 12 months at OxTS?
At OxTS there is a lot to look forward to, from the promising development of autonomous vehicles to the renewed focus on automotive electrification. However, I’m most excited about our product developments that we’ve got coming out. We’re making enormous strides, focused on our brand promise of navigating anywhere, building up a solid offering based upon sound technical understanding. I wish I could say more but watch this space!
Further resources:
- Autonomous navigation? You’re in the right place! Click here to learn more.
- Read this article for details on OxTS’ latest indoor testing solutions.
- Learn more about the xNAV650, our smallest and lightest INS to date.
- Explore the survey and mapping virtual showroom.
- Discover market-leading OxTS automotive products.
- Get in touch to discuss how OxTS solutions can support you with your latest project.
