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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

AeroVironment Plans Salt Lake City, Utah, Manufacturing Operations

02/15/2025
AeroVironment, a manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles, plans to establish operations in Salt Lake City, Utah. The $42.25 million project is expected to create 500 jobs over the next five years.

The new manufacturing facility, FreedomWerx, will be located just minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport. Production is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025.

“AeroVironment’s autonomous precision-strike systems have revolutionized modern warfare, providing warfighters with the ability to neutralize high-value threats with unprecedented accuracy while minimizing risk to friendly forces,” said Wahid Nawabi, AV chairman, president, and chief executive officer. “This facility represents a critical step in our mission to expand manufacturing capacity, ensuring our forces have the technological superiority needed to deter and, if necessary, decisively defeat adversaries.”

To support the project the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO) awarded AeroVironment a post-performance tax reduction under the Economic Development Tax Increment Financing (EDTIF) program.

"Utah is the ideal hub for advancing aerospace and defense technologies that are vital to national security and economic growth," noted Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. "Strategic investments like this create jobs, accelerate innovation, and reinforce Utah’s leadership in aerospace and defense. Supporting companies like AV strengthens our state’s economy while driving cutting-edge advancements in the industry."

Additionally, the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) announced its approval of an incentive, stackable with one approved by GOEO. The incentive, approved by the UIPA board, allows a maximum of 10 percent of AV’s property tax liability to be rebated over 25 years.

“We’re thrilled to welcome AV to Salt Lake City,” added Scott Cuthbertson, president of EDCUtah. “As a leading defense technology company, AV’s expansion will not only bring high-quality jobs to the region but will also further solidify Salt Lake City’s position as a premier hub for advanced manufacturing and defense innovation. We look forward to the long-term contributions they will make to our economy and community.”

AeroVironment specializes in intelligent multi-domain robotic systems, uncrewed aircraft and ground systems, sensors, software analytics, and connectivity.

“AV’s expansion is a testament to Utah’s growing leadership in advanced manufacturing and aerospace innovation,” said Ben Hart, executive director of Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA). “By leveraging our strategic infrastructure and economic incentives, we are helping to create high-quality jobs and support a cutting-edge industry that is critical to both national security and technological advancement. We look forward to seeing AV thrive in Salt Lake City and contribute to Utah’s dynamic economy.”

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