Empirical Systems Aerospace
About
About Empirical Systems Aerospace
ESAero combines conceptual aircraft design, aerodynamic and structural engineering, systems integration, rapid prototyping, flight testing and AS9100 manufacturing within one programme organisation. Its work ranges from electric and hybrid-electric demonstrators to unmanned aircraft, propulsion test equipment and hydrogen fuel-cell power systems, allowing customers to move from early configuration studies through fabrication and certification-oriented testing without transferring the programme between separate suppliers.
LUMBERJACK is its current launched-effect platform: a Group III aircraft designed for ground or air launch, autonomous sensing, modular payload integration and repeated employment from a two-person transport package. ESAero also develops the VESA and FAST aircraft families and IE-SOAR fuel-cell systems. AeroVironment acquired the company in March 2026, adding ESAero’s design-and-manufacturing capability to its uncrewed-systems portfolio while retaining the ESAero operating brand.
Team
- Andrew R. Gibson - President & CEO; Board Member; Co-founder - Leads ESAero as President and Chief Executive Officer.
- Benjamin T. Schiltgen - CFO & CEO Commercial; Board Member; Co-founder - Leads ESAero's commercial and financial functions.
- Trevor J. Foster - COO; Board Member; Co-founder - Leads ESAero's operations.
Timeline
Events
- 2026-03-16 - Acquisition - AeroVironment acquires Empirical Systems Aerospace
The completed transaction brought ESAero into AeroVironment as a subsidiary. AeroVironment described ESAero as a producer of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air-mobility platforms. ESAero continued operating from its California facilities with its existing leadership.
Source - 2026-03-16 - Acquisition - AV acquires Empirical Systems Aerospace to expand unmanned aviation engineering and manufacturing capability
AV acquired Empirical Systems Aerospace, a producer of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility platforms. ESAero adds electric and hybrid propulsion work, rapid aerospace prototyping, AS9100-certified UAS manufacturing, and facilities in San Luis Obispo. The deal strengthens AV's ability to move from platform design into deeper aviation engineering and manufacturing execution.
Source
Context
Shared workflows
- Strategic Logix
workflow adjacency - UAS Rapid Prototyping
Context tags
- Defence customers - Customer Environment
- Enterprise drone markets - Customer Environment
- UAS engineering and prototyping - Peer Group
- UAS rapid prototyping - Workflow
- UAS engineering services - Stack Layer