Founder of Gale Force North
Software and cloud engineer, technical project leader, university instructor, applied researcher, and field operator.
Arnar founded Gale Force North to lead and deliver technical work across Cloud & Systems and Field Systems & Operations. The company works with clients on architecture, project delivery, infrastructure, expedition preparation, field systems, and remote operations.
Technical Background
Arnar's commercial work includes product and system architecture, AWS environment planning, technical project management, implementation direction, UI/UX hiring, design handoff, and coordination with specialist contributors.
At Reykjavík University, Arnar led the Frostbyte / NCC-IS cybersecurity lab launch and has taught programming across Python, data structures, JavaScript, React, APIs, and web application work.
Applied research has included memory-forensics pipelines and subsea-cable seismic analysis using HPC and Slurm workflows. The subsea-cable research includes Nokia Bell Labs collaboration and was presented at EGU 2025.
Documentary Work
Arnar produced Under Ice, a 30-minute documentary chronicling the recovery of the Air France Flight 66 fan-hub fragment from the Greenland Ice Sheet. Arnar was responsible for audio post-production on Hálfur Álfur, reconstructing the project from the original source recordings, restoring and mixing the soundtrack, and delivering the final cinema master. Hálfur Álfur won the Grand Jury Prize at Skjaldborg and received an Edda Award nomination.
Field Background
Arnar has worked professionally as a mountain and glacier guide with Icelandic Mountain Guides and Arctic Adventures. The field background also includes Icelandic search and rescue, a 60 km Svalbard training expedition, the 2019 Air France Flight 66 recovery, and the 2026 Swiss Camp decommissioning operation.
GFN participated in the decommissioning of Swiss Camp on the Greenland Ice Sheet, with Arnar serving in a glacier and field leadership capacity. The work included expedition preparation, technical equipment, communications, field documentation, helicopter-supported operations, and demobilization.
Arnar joined the five-person field team that excavated the A380 fan-hub fragment beside a crevasse, hauled it to the surface, and prepared it for helicopter transport. The recovery later became the subject of Under Ice.
Active Icelandic search-and-rescue work with repeated field training in mountain and glacier environments. The work includes glacier travel, rope systems, crevasse-rescue practice, group movement, equipment discipline, changing weather, and decisions made under practical field constraints.
Planned and led a 60 km Svalbard SAR training expedition, coordinating route planning, local boat support, accommodation, flights, satellite communications, polar-bear safety measures, night watch, rifle and flare-gun readiness, and weather-dependent field decisions.
Worked for several years as a glacier and mountain guide with Arctic Adventures and Icelandic Mountain Guides, leading hikes, super jeep tours, glacier walks, and introductory ice-climbing trips. That work reinforced a practical operating style built around preparation, pacing, equipment discipline, clear communication, and weather-aware judgment.
