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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Silent Falcon UAS Technologies Locates East Coast Headquarters in Warren County, Virginia

12/10/2020
Silent Falcon UAS Technologies, an unmanned aircraft systems service provider and original equipment manufacturer, will invest $6 million to locate its new East Coast headquarters for research, development, and manufacturing at the Front Royal-Warren County Airport in Warren County, Virginia. The company plans to create 249 jobs.

According to Governor Ralph Northam’s Office, Silent Falcon UAS Technologies manufactures patent-pending, state-of-the-art unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) components and sensors for security, military, and commercial markets, including oil and gas and pipeline inspections, power utility inspections, large-scale agriculture, natural resource management, security/ISR, public safety, and mapping/surveying.

“We are excited to be opening our operations and manufacturing center in Front Royal,” said Grant Bishop, CEO of Silent Falcon UAS Technologies. “The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was just that, a partnership, and they couldn’t have been more persuasive in helping us choose Warren County for our new facility. We’d like to thank Governor Northam and the officials in Warren County for their leadership and support for making this possible. The small, business-friendly atmosphere and the availability of a great workforce were real selling points. In addition, we are particularly excited about collaborating with the Randolph-Macon Academy and its innovative UAS program under the leadership of General Wesley, which has been at the forefront of training future UAS pilots and specialists. We look forward to being of assistance to their efforts and to having their input into our future development.”

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with Warren County, the Virginia Department of Aviation, and the Center for Innovative Technology as an incentive to secure the project. Governor Northam approved a $161,482 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Warren County with the project. The company is eligible to receive benefits from the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new, full-time jobs created. Funding and services to support Silent Falcon UAS Technologies’ employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Silent Falcon UAS Technologies’ decision to establish its East Coast operations in Warren County and create a new workforce development partnership speaks volumes to Virginia’s leadership in the fast-growing unmanned systems industry,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “With one of the nation’s largest transportation networks, an unmatched talent pipeline, and competitive operating costs, the Commonwealth is an ideal location for the company to reach its expanding customer base. This project is a major win for the Northern Shenandoah Valley, and we are thrilled to welcome the company to Virginia.”

Silent Falcon is the only solar electric UAS to provide long endurance and range, silent operations, and an open interface payload bay, accommodating a wide variety of payloads that are also quick and easy to change. Silent Falcon’s decision to locate in Virginia coincides with a significant expansion of the service portion of the company’s business, which focuses on data collection, specifically for runway inspections at airports, state officials said.

“We’re proud to partner with companies like Silent Falcon UAS Technologies, which support industry growth and high quality job creation in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “The unmanned systems sector is rapidly evolving, and Virginia’s top-ranked education system, combined with our research and development assets, will provide the company with a strong foundation for success. We thank Silent Falcon for creating 249 high-tech jobs in Warren County, and look forward to building a lasting partnership.”

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