Built in the Birthplace of Aviation
Founded in North Carolina—where powered flight began—Forge and Flight Labs carries forward the Wright Brothers’ legacy of innovation. We design, manufacture, and deploy advanced unmanned aircraft systems that serve the critical missions of America’s defense, research, and government agencies.
Our mission is clear: eliminate U.S. dependency on foreign UAS manufacturers through complete vertical integration, American manufacturing, and supply chain transparency.
Why We Exist
The Chinese drone ban (NDAA Section 848) exposed a fundamental vulnerability: American defense and research institutions had become dependent on foreign manufacturers for mission-critical UAS capabilities. When those systems were restricted, agencies were left without viable alternatives.
Forge and Flight Labs was founded to solve this problem permanently—not through incremental improvements to existing platforms, but by building an entirely American ecosystem from components through deployment.
Our Integrated Ecosystem
Unlike traditional manufacturers who assemble foreign components, we control the entire value chain through four integrated subsidiaries:
Forge and Flight Labs - Aircraft design, additive manufacturing, and systems integration for Group 2/3 platforms delivering 2-12 hour endurance with advanced AI autonomy.
American UAS Electronics - NDAA-compliant avionics manufacturing. Every PCB, power distribution board, and integration module is designed and assembled in the United States using verified American components.
AeroRange Systems - Dedicated test range operations providing flight validation, mission rehearsal, and developmental testing without the delays and restrictions of shared facilities.
Forge and Flight Academy - Comprehensive training programs from FAA Part 107 certification through advanced AI operations and tactical FPV employment.
This integration delivers what traditional manufacturers cannot: rapid development cycles, guaranteed supply chain security, and seamless progression from design through operational deployment.
North Carolina Manufacturing
Every Forge and Flight platform is designed, manufactured, and flight-tested in North Carolina. Our Fayetteville facility provides strategic proximity to Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), enabling close collaboration with military customers and access to aerospace engineering talent from Research Triangle universities.
We leverage advanced additive manufacturing—FDM and SLA printing with topology-optimized structures—enabling rapid prototyping and custom configurations impossible with traditional aerospace manufacturing. What takes competitors 18-36 months, we accomplish in 3-6 months.
Technical Excellence
Our platforms integrate cutting-edge technologies rarely seen in sub-$1M systems:
- NVIDIA Thor AGX edge computing for production-grade AI autonomy with closed-loop control
- Hybrid propulsion systems delivering 6-12 hour endurance in VTOL configurations
- Encrypted communications suites with anti-hijacking protection and Starlink integration
- Complete NDAA compliance with documented supply chain traceability
But technology alone isn’t enough. Our team brings operational experience from special operations, combat aviation, and aerospace engineering—ensuring platforms perform under the conditions customers actually face, not laboratory ideals.
Who We Serve
Department of Defense - Research laboratories, Special Operations Command, and operational units requiring NDAA-compliant platforms for ISR, training, and capability development.
Universities & Research Institutions - Academic programs conducting aerospace research, autonomy development, and geospatial science requiring customizable platforms with open architectures.
Government Agencies - Federal, state, and local agencies requiring extended-endurance capabilities for border patrol, emergency management, infrastructure inspection, and law enforcement applications.
Defense Contractors - Prime contractors and subcontractors requiring domestic platforms for system integration, payload testing, and capability demonstrations.
Our Commitment
We believe American defense and research institutions deserve better than repurposed commercial drones or foreign platforms with questionable supply chains. They deserve purpose-built systems designed for their specific missions, manufactured by Americans, and supported by teams who understand operational requirements.
Every platform we deliver carries a commitment: complete supply chain transparency, manufacturer-direct support, and the technical excellence necessary for mission success.
This is manufacturing as it should be—precision-engineered, American-made, and built for the long term.