RapidFlight unmanned aircraft systems company to open headquarters in Manassas City

RapidFlight, an unmanned aircraft systems company, will invest $5.5 million to establish the headquarters of its unmanned aircraft system design and manufacturing operations in the City of Manassas, according to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Manassas Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger.

RapidFlight will extensively renovate the former Georator building at 9617 Center Street (near Southern States and across from All Saints Catholic Church) where it will create 119 new jobs over the next three years. This will offer the company’s growing workforce a combination of ease-of-accessibility and nearby amenities, including Historic Downtown Manassas, said Patrick J. Small, Manassas’ Economic Development Director.

An integrated end-to-end unmanned aircraft system design and production firm, RapidFlight was founded by leading unmanned aircraft systems expert John (Jay) Gundlach, Ph.D. Its high-performance systems are designed to meet evolving national security and private sector demands of the United States and its allies. The company takes an agile approach to flight system design, aggressively responding to mission requirements and dramatically reducing the time from concept to mission through Additive Manufacturing (AM), advanced avionics, and innovative propulsion systems.

“Thanks to Manassas central location on the East Coast, we can readily work face-to-face with our government customers while also leveraging Virginia’s Unmanned Systems’ infrastructure to conduct operations and test our systems, rapidly delivering new capabilities to our Nation,” Dr. Gundach,  RapidFlight’s Chief Executive Officer was quoted as saying.

According to Mayor Davis-Younger, “RapidFlight locating in Manassas further cements our City’s position as a leader in the design and production of unmanned aerial systems.  Our skilled work force, industry leading companies, and community assets all combine to make Manassas a world-class destination for businesses and residents alike.

RapidFlight’s new headquarters in Manassas also places the company in close proximity to Manassas Regional Airport (HEF), the busiest general aviation airport in all of Virginia. HEF is home to a strong customer base for RapidFlight, including a growing number of aerospace firms, defense contractors, and government agencies. The company’s location in Manassas and Northern Virginia places it in the densest cluster of defense and government contracting firms in the United States.

The company is currently hiring engineers, manufacturing technicians, program managers, administrative staff, and other unmanned aircraft systems positions. Interested. Manassas area residents can apply for these innovative careers at https://www.rapidflight.aero/careers/.

For more information contact Patrick J. Small, CEcD, Manassas Director of Economic Development, Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)