US electric propulsion manufacturer ePropelled has secured $60 million in government funding to expand its production operations.
US electric propulsion manufacturer ePropelled has secured $60 million in government funding to expand its production operations in Laconia, New Hampshire.
The funding, awarded through the Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, will support an increase in the company’s manufacturing footprint from 20,000 square feet (1,860 square meters) to 80,000 square feet (7,430 square meters).
According to ePropelled, the project will expand its capacity to manufacture electric motors, electronic speed controllers, and complete propulsion systems for uncrewed aircraft.
The upgraded facility will include automated production lines, precision motor manufacturing, controller assembly, environmental testing, and quality-control systems.
The additional capacity is intended to support US government programs, allied customers, and commercial drone manufacturers.
US Military Pushes to Scale Uncrewed Systems
The funding comes amid a broader US military effort to accelerate the development and acquisition of uncrewed systems.
Earlier this month, the US Navy created a new office to coordinate the development and acquisition of robotic and autonomous systems.
The move is intended to consolidate responsibilities that were previously divided across separate programs and accelerate the delivery of new capabilities to sailors and Marines.
In July, the US Air Force also began defining requirements for a new generation of modular uncrewed aircraft that could eventually succeed the MQ-9 Reaper.
The service wants the future platforms to be cheaper, easier to mass-produce, and adaptable to different intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike missions.
