Sneha Alphonso Francis

Founder Ornistra Intelligence | Robotics & Automation Engineer | UAV Systems · ROS2 · SLAM · Embedded Systems | IEEE Published | Patent Filed

Ernakulam, Kerala, India

About

I'm a Robotics & Automation Engineering graduate (CGPA 9.48, KTU) with an Honors Degree and Minor in Electronic & Communication Engineering, specialising in UAV systems, ROS2, SLAM, and embedded hardware. I've built robots that fly, swim, and help people recover, from a biomimetic ornithopter that secured a ₹2L University grant, to a LiDAR-equipped amphibious robot that earned a second grant and an IEEE conference publication. I also filed a design patent for the ornithopter, and interned at Genrobotics Innovations where I contributed to G-KAI, an assistive arm rehabilitation device. Outside the lab, I founded Ornistra Intelligence (a UAV startup), led the Drone Club at my college to 30+ members, and served as Design Lead at the Robotics Society of India and ISA, running workshops, mentoring teams, and connecting students to industry. I work across the full robotics stack: mechanical design in SolidWorks and Fusion 360, embedded programming in C/C++ and Python, ROS2 software development, sensor integration, and real-world field testing.

Experience

  • Founder at Ornistra Intelligence
    Mar 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 4 mos

    Headed a team in launching a startup "Ornithra Intelligence" specializing in drone delivery services for the medical industry, utilizing ornithopter technology. Secured ₹2,00,000 in funding from APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala Start-up Mission for prototype development and Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

  • Founder at The Drone Club, ASIET
    Jul 2024 - May 2026 · 1 yr 11 mos

    Founded the college Drone Club, leading initiatives to educate and empower peers on drone technology, including basic flight mechanisms and controls, fostering a community of innovation and hands-on learning.

  • Robotic Software Engineer at Genrobotics
    Jan 2026 - Mar 2026 · 3 mos

    Developed robot software and control system modules for G-KAI, a 4-DOF assistive arm rehabilitation device. I programmed simultaneous multi-motor control and real-time motion tracking via Simulink on a Linux-based NUC module, and designed and implemented a NoSQL data pipeline using MongoDB for structured patient session storage and retrieval. I also collaborated closely with hardware engineers and clinical teams to validate device performance against design specifications.

  • Inplant training at SMEC Automation
    Jun 2025 - Jun 2025 · 1 mo

  • Design Lead at The Robotics Society ASIET
    Mar 2024 - Mar 2025 · 1 yr 1 mo