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Skyeton Plans Fayetteville, North Carolina, Production Operations

07/31/2026
Unmanned aerial systems manufacturer Skyeton, Inc. plans to establish operations in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The more than $3.1 million project is expected to create 162 jobs in Cumberland County.

The company’s new 28,500-square-foot production facility, located at 223 Dedication Drive, will manufacture its Raybird platform for defense and commercial applications.

“Expanding our manufacturing footprint in North Carolina is about more than opening a new facility. It’s about strengthening America’s defense industrial base, creating high-quality American jobs, and delivering combat-proven capabilities closer to the warfighters we exist to serve,” said Rigoberto (Quito) Sáez, CEO of Skyeton, Inc. “North Carolina is the perfect place to call home, and we’re incredibly grateful for the warm reception and tremendous support we’ve received from the State of North Carolina, the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, our congressional delegation, and our mission partners from the Department of War. Together, we’re building the next generation of American unmanned systems and helping ensure our nation’s and partner nations’ warfighters, defenders, and first responders have the capabilities they need when it matters most.”

To support the project a performance-based grant of $500,000 from the One North Carolina Fund has been awarded. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require matching participation from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“North Carolina is a hub for defense innovation and advanced manufacturing,” noted N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “With investments in research, industry partnerships, and our world-class colleges and universities, we are creating an environment where innovative companies like Skyeton can support our national security, grow their business, and succeed.”

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), other partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the Rural Infrastructure Authority, North Carolina Community College System, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Cumberland County, the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, and the City of Fayetteville.

“Fayetteville and Cumberland County are quickly becoming a hub for strategic technologies and advanced manufacturing,” added Robert Van Geons, President and CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation. “Skyeton’s investment is another example of the innovation ecosystem our uniquely skilled workforce and collaborative partnerships have created.”

Skyeton is a manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that designs, engineers, manufactures, tests, and supports long-endurance drones for defense and commercial applications.

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