AeroVironment to launch innovation center in Boston

AeroVironment Inc. (Monrovia, Calif, U.S.) has announced the creation of its New England Innovation Center (NEIC) in Boston, Mass., U.S. The new office, the company’s first engineering operation outside of California, will lead development of new advanced solutions including robotics, to complement the company’s small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

AeroVironment says it is actively seeking top talent for its New England and Simi Valley operations, with more than 70 open positions.

“We are expanding our capabilities, our team and our footprint to achieve our growth objectives,” says Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment president and CEO.“The greater Boston region is a dynamic center of advanced development and talent in technologies key to the future of our customers’ operations, including robotics and artificial intelligence. Our latest Innovation Center will expand AeroVironment’s capabilities so that we may translate advances in key technologies into ever more valuable solutions that support our customers across the globe.”

Tom Vaneck has been named vice president and managing director of the NEIC. Vaneck served as vice president of InstantEye Robotics, a division of Physical Sciences, Inc. He also previously served as general manager of Aurora Flight Sciences’ Cambridge Research and Development Center. He earned a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University, and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Master of Arts in Mathematics and Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Penn State University.

“I’m excited to be part of the team at AeroVironment, the leader in unmanned systems technologies for those on the front-line, and a company I have watched and admired for many years,” says Vaneck. “Our New England Innovation Center will develop new robotic platforms to expand our family of systems, advance our autonomous capabilities and build on AeroVironment’s history of delivering innovative solutions that help customers proceed with certainty.”