Phoenix Facility Integral To Expanding Onshore Manufacturing Capability

AIRO Group Holdings announced the successful completion of the first RQ-35 ISR – Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance – drone produced to full operational standards in its Phoenix, Arizona, manufacturing facility. This signifies the company’s first U.S.-made RQ-35 system and an important step forward in its Made-in-America expansion strategy.

The systems are built to the same specs as those that have been made at AIRO’s Denmark facility, and passed Phase 1 of the U.S. manufacturing and validation program. This included system assembly and integration of all major components as well as complete system build-up.

The aircraft also went through a comprehensive flight-test campaign that concluded successfully with final flights on December 11.

Joe Burns, CEO of AIRO said, “Completing the first U.S.-built RQ-35 systems is a significant milestone for AIRO and a testament to the skill and dedication of our Phoenix and Denmark teams. Their seamless collaboration, rigorous training, and execution will enable us to deliver combat-proven ISR systems from U.S. soil. This achievement reflects our commitment to our customers, our partners, and our promise to expand reliable, mission-ready drone production in the United States.”

This U.S. production landmark advances the RQ-35 in the Department of War’s Blue UAS certification process and enabling more efficient procurement and deployment pathways. It also bolsters AIRO’s growing drone portfolio that includes the RQ-35, the Nord Drone joint venture, and the Bullet JV. AIRO business teams continue to actively pursue opportunities with U.S. and allied government customers.

Chirinjeev Kathuria, Executive Chairman of AIRO said, “Today’s accomplishment is about keeping our promises—to our employees, our investors, and our clients. We set a clear goal to deliver the first complete RQ-35 systems from our U.S. facility before the end of 2025, and we have done exactly that. This is only the beginning of what AIRO will achieve as we scale U.S. production.”

FMI:  theairogroup.com/