AEVEX Aerospace has announced the acquisition of select assets and intellectual property from RapidFlight, a Manassas, Virginia-based manufacturer of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). The acquisition broadens AEVEX’s portfolio of platforms and introduces additive manufacturing capabilities intended to accelerate design and production timelines.
According to the company, the integration of these assets into its existing design, prototyping, and manufacturing processes could reduce development cycles from several months to weeks. The move also supports the expansion of domestic production pathways for defense and national security applications.
AEVEX has delivered more than 5,000 One-Way-Attack uncrewed aircraft over the past three years, reflecting its existing capacity to scale production. With the addition of RapidFlight’s technologies, the company plans to expand options for customers across size, endurance, and payload categories, while incorporating modular and mission-tailorable designs to simplify supply chains.
A key element of this initiative is the establishment of what AEVEX describes as a “drone factory of the future.” This approach uses additive manufacturing to produce modular, 3D-printed airframes at the point of need, including in forward or contested environments. The model is intended to streamline logistics, reduce sustainment requirements, and allow for quicker adaptation to evolving operational requirements.
“Acquiring select RapidFlight assets is a significant step forward in how AEVEX delivers solutions at speed and scale,” said Roger Wells, president of AEVEX Aerospace. “In contested environments, the ability to manufacture and launch drones within hours is a decisive advantage—and our expanded additive manufacturing expertise helps make that a reality.”
The acquisition adds to AEVEX’s ongoing efforts to expand its capabilities in uncrewed aircraft systems, aligning with the growing demand for flexible, scalable, and rapidly deployable solutions in defense operations.
