Pilot / Instructor / M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation

Nicholas Proulx

FPV Tactical Institute
FPV Defense  ·  Attack Operations  ·  Technology  ·  Pilot Training
6+
Years FPV
2×
North German Champion
2×
Belgian Navy Vice Champion
2×
World Championship Pilot
25+
Podium Finishes
3
Bundeswehr Courses Delivered
View Courses → Get in Touch
Status: Accepting contracts
Travel: Worldwide — no restriction
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01 — Profile

About Nicholas

25 years old · Based in Germany
M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation
Master thesis: FPV drone defense

Where embedded software engineering meets the physical limits of flight — precision, speed, and tactical purpose.

Nicholas Proulx, 25, is a professional FPV pilot, defense instructor and Embedded Software Developer at Pfeiffer Vacuum. He holds a Bachelor's in Software Technology and a Master's in Future Skills & Innovation — completed October 2025. A native speaker of both German and English, his Master's thesis focused on FPV drone defense in public and military environments, bridging academic rigor with real-world operational experience.

He began flying FPV in early 2020, initially through aerial videography before rapidly transitioning to racing — drawn by the direct feedback of skill improvement and the satisfaction of pushing hardware to its absolute physical limits. By 2022 his racing career accelerated sharply, accumulating national and international titles across Europe.

Since establishing direct connections within the Bundeswehr and defense sector, Nicholas has already delivered three courses to Bundeswehr units — broad FPV technology and capability presentations that have opened the door to deeper tactical program development. He operates worldwide, travelling to client sites or hosting at a dedicated training location, and brings up to 5 fully equipped simulator rigs with radios for on-site use. Groups from a single operator upward are accommodated.

Competition Record
  • 2× North German Champion — 2024 & 2025
  • 2× Belgian Navy Vice Champion — 2024 & 2025
  • 3rd Place — South German Championship 2025
  • German National Team Pilot — 2024 & 2026 World Championships
  • Multiple national and international podium finishes since 2022
Nicholas Proulx — Team Germany FPV pilot at golden hour
Nicholas Proulx · Team Germany · China 2024
Age 25
Location Germany — Worldwide Travel
Training Location Client site or hosted
Education B.Sc. Software Technology
M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation
Thesis FPV Drone Defense — Public & Military
FPV Since Early 2020
Simulator Rigs 5 rigs with radios — mobile
Group Size 1 person and above
Bundeswehr Courses 3 delivered
Languages German (native) · English (native)
Availability Accepting new clients
02 — Capabilities

Core Skills

From software engineering
to physical flight limits —
a rare dual expertise
SK — 001
FPV Racing & Precision Flight
Elite manual flight at 160+ km/h in gate courses and freestyle arenas. 6+ years continuous development, 2× national champion, Belgian Navy vice champion, German national team pilot at World Championships.
97 / 100
SK — 002
FPV Hardware Engineering
Full-stack build, configuration and tuning across all platform sizes — Whoop to 12–15 inch. Deep expertise in flight control firmware, ESC protocols and long-range control systems.
95 / 100
Betaflight BlHeli32 AM32 ExpressLRS Whoop–15"
SK — 003
Tactical FPV Operations
ISR reconnaissance, low-observable flight, covert approach patterns, target marking and relay. Training under GPS-denied and EW-contested scenarios. Grounded in Master's thesis research on FPV drone defense.
92 / 100
SK — 004
Embedded Software Engineering
Full-time Embedded Software Developer at Pfeiffer Vacuum since 2024 (working student from 2021). B.Sc. Software Technology + M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation. Applied directly to flight controller firmware, drone system analysis and UAS technology evaluation.
90 / 100
SK — 005
Instructor & Curriculum Design
Structured training development from zero to advanced operator level. Doctrinal adaptation for military and police personnel. Simulator-based ab-initio development through to live field operations.
88 / 100
SK — 006
Counter-UAS & Threat Analysis
Academic and practical expertise in drone threat profiling, detection limitations, RF-contested environments and defensive countermeasure planning — directly informed by Master's thesis research.
85 / 100
03 — Experience

Career History

Engineering · Academic · Racing
· Defense — four parallel
tracks before age 26
2024 — Present
Pfeiffer Vacuum
Embedded Software Developer
Full-time embedded software development at Pfeiffer Vacuum — a leading German engineering company specialising in vacuum technology and precision instrumentation. Developing firmware and low-level software for advanced industrial systems. This engineering background directly informs the technical depth brought to FPV drone system analysis, flight controller configuration and UAS technology evaluation.
Pfeiffer Vacuum Embedded Software Firmware Full-Time
2024 — Present
Bundeswehr & Defense Sector
FPV Tactical Instructor & Consultant
Delivering specialized FPV training programs to military units and defense companies, with a focus on defense operations, attack scenarios and counter-UAS awareness. Building direct institutional relationships within the Bundeswehr. Training design grounded in Master's thesis research and elite competitive experience.
Bundeswehr Defense Consulting ISR
Oct 2025
Master's Graduation
M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation
Successfully completed Master's degree in Future Skills & Innovation. Master's thesis: 'FPV Drone Defense in the Public and Military Sector' — an academic framework for UAS threat assessment, countermeasure planning and tactical operator training that directly informs all defense course offerings.
M.Sc. Thesis: FPV Defense UAS Research
2022 — 2025
MultiGP · Drone Champions League · FAI
Professional Racing Pilot
Racing career spiked sharply from 2022, accumulating wins across European circuits. Key achievements: 2× North German Champion (2024 & 2025), 2× Belgian Navy Vice Champion (2024 & 2025), 3rd South German Championship (2025), German National Team Pilot at World Championships (2024 & 2026). Known for exceptional consistency at speed and the ability to operate hardware at its absolute physical limit.
2× National Champion National Team Pilot MultiGP DCL FAI
2021 — 2024
Pfeiffer Vacuum
Working Student — Software Engineering
Joined Pfeiffer Vacuum in August 2021 as a working student alongside university studies, gaining hands-on embedded systems and firmware development experience. Progressed to a full-time Embedded Software Developer role in 2024 upon completing the Master's degree.
Pfeiffer Vacuum Working Student Embedded Systems
2020 — 2022
Self-Developed · YouTube
FPV Videography & Early Racing
Began FPV in early 2020 through aerial videography. Rapidly transitioned to racing, driven by the measurable skill development loop and the challenge of flying hardware at its physical limits. Built deep technical understanding of FPV systems, shared through tutorial content and community involvement.
Self-Taught Videography Hardware Development
2020 — 2024
University
B.Sc. Software Technology + M.Sc. Future Skills
Parallel academic career alongside racing development. Bachelor's in Software Technology built the engineering foundation. Master's in Future Skills & Innovation converged academic focus with FPV drone defense — culminating in a thesis that is now the academic backbone of the FPV Tactical Institute's defense curriculum.
B.Sc. Software Technology M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation
04 — Training Programs

Course Offerings

Primary audience: Bundeswehr,
defense companies & police —
civilian on special request
Nicholas Proulx flying FPV with goggles and controller at race event
In the zone · FPV goggles on · Race event, North Germany
FPV Defense · Military & Public
FPV Defense Operations
Tactical awareness · Detection · Countermeasures
Comprehensive defense-oriented training covering UAS threat identification, low-altitude detection, countermeasure protocols and defensive planning for both military operations and public security scenarios (police, border protection, critical infrastructure). Grounded in Master's thesis research on FPV drone threats in military and civilian environments.
Audience
Military · Police
Duration
3–7 Days
Level
All
FPV Attack · Military Only
FPV Attack Operations
Offensive deployment · Precision · Mission execution
Military-exclusive program covering offensive FPV drone deployment, mission planning, precision target approach, payload operation and coordinated multi-drone tactics. Training conducted under realistic mission conditions with full operational security protocols. All content classified per client requirements.
Audience
Military Only
Duration
5–10 Days
Access
Vetted Units
FPV Technology · All Audiences
FPV Technology & Systems
Build · Configure · Understand · Evaluate
FPV racing drone — carbon frame, motors, ESC and camera
Deep-dive into FPV drone technology from Whoop to 12–15 inch platforms. Covers hardware selection, full build process, Betaflight / BlHeli32 / AM32 configuration, ExpressLRS link setup, common failure modes, tuning methodology and platform limits. Designed for military procurement officers, defense engineers and operators who need to understand the technology they deploy.
Audience
All
Duration
2–5 Days
Format
Theory + Practical
Learn to Fly · Foundation
Learn to Fly FPV
Zero experience required · Tactically oriented
Foundational FPV pilot training from absolute zero — simulator fundamentals through to first real flights. Designed primarily for military and police personnel entering UAS roles with no prior FPV experience. Covers simulator protocol, manual flight basics, throttle management, orientation and situational awareness. The natural entry point before progressing to Defense or Technology courses.
Audience
Military · Police
Duration
3–5 Days
Level
Zero to Pilot
Live Demonstration · All Audiences
FPV Speed & Agility Demonstration
Simulator preview · Live flight · Race demonstration · Q&A
Most people — including military officers and defense professionals — have never witnessed what a racing-grade FPV drone is truly capable of. This demonstration event bridges that gap. It opens with a short hands-on simulator session so participants experience the control interface firsthand, then moves outdoors for a live flight and race demonstration at the physical limits of the platform — real speed, real agility, nothing simulated. Ideal as a first-contact event for units evaluating FPV technology, organisations considering a training investment, or leadership who need to understand the operational relevance before committing to a full course.
Audience
All — Open
Duration
Half Day
Format
Sim + Live Flight
Ideal For
First Contact
05 — Contact

Book a Session

All enquiries handled with
full confidentiality —
response within 48h
Email
contact@proulx-fpv.de
Encrypted / Signal
Available on request
Base of Operations
Germany — Worldwide travel, no restriction
Training Setup
Mobile — up to 5 simulator rigs with radios brought to client site, or hosted training available
Group Size
1 person and above — no minimum
Clientele
Bundeswehr · Defense companies · Police
Civilian on special request
Availability
Accepting new contracts