U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman excursions RapidFlight’s Virginia facility, highlighting scalable drone options important for contemporary army methods
Virginia-based unmanned aerial methods developer RapidFlight just lately introduced they’d obtained a go to from U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA1), Vice Chairman of the Home Armed Companies Committee, to their Manassas headquarters. Over a greater than two-hour-long tour, RapidFlight demonstrated their progressive, additive manufacturing (higher often called 3D printing) based mostly method to bringing most operational flexibility to the battlefield.
RapidFlight’s important product, referred to as AgileAviation, consists of over 20 totally different UAV designs that may be flexibly tailored and manufactured on-site to suit fast-changing mission parameters. Their proprietary hardware-software stack is designed to permit American firms to compete with drone makers overseas, who’ve beforehand been in a position to make the most of economies of scale to cost out their opposition.
The go to included a tour of their manufacturing facility in Virginia, using dozens of native staff, and an exploration of RapidFlight’s Cellular Manufacturing System, which will be arrange shortly in ahead working environments. The MPS will be owned and operated by RapidFlight, or it’s accessible to the Division of Protection, US Allies, or protection contractor primes to shortly and affordably construct as much as 28 Group 3 plane monthly, (with the choice to construct considerably extra Group 1 or Group 2 UAVs ought to the scenario require it). Utilizing industrial off-the-shelf elements and powered by a normal 110/240V wall plug, the MPS is designed to work wherever it’s wanted, with an efficient operation vary of -20º F to 130º F, even with excessive humidity.
Drone Innovation for Protection
In the course of the go to, Wittman highlighted the significance of scalable drone options to the US and its allies, serving to them deal with a quickly altering safety setting.
“We get so wrapped up in doing science challenge after science challenge, however you will have to have the ability to scale it and have an operational impact,” mentioned Wittman, discussing the present state of Pentagon know-how improvement. “What you all do right here is the key sauce that we’d like to have the ability to act shortly.”
Wittman was key to the passage of the American Safety Drone Act throughout the 2024 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act, which banned the procurement or use of UAVs manufactured by China. As a part of this push, he has visited a number of home drone builders to examine in on the state of the American drone trade.
“Congressional engagement with firms like RapidFlight is crucial to nationwide protection. Congressman Wittman may help facilitate progressive options from rising producers aimed toward bolstering our nationwide protection technique,” mentioned Mike Uffelman, Director of Progress at RapidFlight. “We’re excited to work with our elected officers on Capitol Hill to offer our service members with the instruments they should accomplish the mission.”
Extra data on RapidFlight is obtainable right here.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory setting for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the industrial drone area and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, Electronic mail Miriam.
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