RapidFlight, a pioneering integrated designer and mass manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), has completed the highly anticipated Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) 2024 demonstration as part of a contract with the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER). The event took place August 19-28 in Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Throughout the event, RapidFlight conducted multiple successful test flights of its E2 unmanned aerial system (UAS), emphasizing its exceptional mission flexibility and agile payload integration. Key highlights of the demonstration included the seamless integration of tailored customer payloads, like the ModalAI VOXL 2 boards and inert prototypes of the MMS Mjölnir weapon system, underscoring the platform’s versatility in supporting diverse military operations.
RapidFlight’s reputation for flexibility and rapid innovation was further evidenced by additional flight requests from senior officials of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) throughout the event. Among the distinguished guests was the honorable Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Heidi Shyu, who witnessed the E2’s capabilities firsthand. Other requests included support of a live kinetic counter-UAS (C-UAS) assessment flight and rapid design and production of a custom component. Leveraging its on-site Mobile Production System (MPS), the component was delivered in under 72 hours, highlighting the company’s ability to provide swift, mission-specific solutions.
The E2 aircraft, built with commercial off the shelf (COTS) components, provides unparalleled utility to meet the needs of disparate mission requirements by combining extensive payload capacity within a high bandwidth line-of-sight (LOS) communications system. The E2 is also payload agnostic, featuring a 20 to 37.5 lbs payload weight range along with three-hours of maximum endurance, empowering warfighters to conduct missions greater than 140 NMi from the launch point.
“RapidFlight is focused on providing the US DoD and its allies with flexible, adaptable UAS platforms that enable the Armed Forces to quickly customize unmanned aircraft around the mission, versus adapting the mission around the aircraft,” said Mike Uffelman, director of customer programs, RapidFlight. “The RapidFlight E2 aircraft represents a leap forward in the development of a low-cost, modular, payload-agnostic UAS that the United States and its allies need for effective deterrence.”
This contract represents the next phase of the E2 drone platform evolution, which previously was selected by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) as one of its platforms for further development. The customer-proven Mobile Production System (MPS) enables the manufacturing and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from forward locations at the tactical edge. A single MPS can produce 28 Group 3 aircraft per month (or much higher quantities for Group 2 and/or Group 1, or when combined with multiple MPS units), and the system can either be owned and operated by RapidFlight or used by the U.S. DoD, its allies, and defense contractor primes as an effective way to mass manufacture UAS anywhere in the world.
The Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve initiative is a structured, multi-year learning campaign to accelerate new capabilities to create Joint Warfighting Capability. RDER will accelerate joint innovation, expand international partnerships and multilateral engagement, focus on Service joint experimentation, quickly demonstrate and assess innovative ideas, and provide feedback to future warfighting concept development.
Based in Manassas, Virginia, RapidFlight is a design, technology, and manufacturing company capable of producing thousands of customized, low-cost, mission-ready, unmanned systems both centrally and at the tactical edge. The company’s advanced digital design and manufacturing processes, called AgileAviation, and experienced team of industry professionals are setting new standards in aircraft customization and mass manufacturing. RapidFlight addresses the dynamic challenges and stringent timelines critical to national security.
