Unmanned Systems

Unmanned Systems

Along with other communities in our region of 1.7 million people, we have a solid foundation for pioneering ongoing developments within the Unmanned Systems industry.​​​

Virginia Beach and the region is ripe for exciting growth in the unmanned vehicle systems arena. Companies that are currently in the industry (such as Huntington Ingalls Technical Solutions, Hush Aerospace, DroneUp, Spatial Integrated Systems Inc., PrecisionHawk, ICI Services Corp.), along with various manufacturers, make up a nucleus that is prepared for the future of air, land, and​ sea unmanned systems. Add our strong capabilities at our universities and colleges, and a proactive workforce development community, we are well-positioned to be a leader in the unmanned systems sector.

A Virginia Beach-based startup, DroneUp, is leading the way in unmanned aircraft systems

Moreover, the Commonwealth of Virginia supports our efforts with its Virginia Unmanned Systems Commission. NASA Langley Research Center, a major regional asset, works with UMS stakeholders to share data, validate systems, and enable the future of robotic autonomous behaviors. They also host and ​maintain a 100-acre flight range accessible to businesses interested in testing autonomous vehicles. Wallops Island also features one of our region's greatest assets for the UAS industry. This facility has the longest UAS test-specific runway in the United States, with easy terminal escape points into the Atlantic Ocean and free of external traffic.


    In this issue of Virginia Economic Review, learn about the aerospace and unmanned systems technologies that are pushing business in new and exciting directions and how Virginia companies are at the forefront of those shifts.