American drone manufacturer Red Cat is collaborating with Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) to increase production of its military-grade Black Widow drone, responding to rising demand both domestically and internationally.
The Black Widow, built by Red Cat’s subsidiary Teal Drones, is a compact yet durable drone designed for short-range reconnaissance missions. It is currently integrated into the US Army’s official drone program, highlighting its strategic importance in modern military operations.
To meet growing orders, Red Cat has enlisted ESAero, a California-based aerospace manufacturer known for its AS9100-certified facilities, which comply with rigorous aerospace quality standards. This certification ensures the drones are produced to withstand the demanding conditions encountered by military personnel.
“Choosing the right manufacturing partner is essential to scale production without compromising quality,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “ESAero offers the engineering expertise and certified production capacity we need to deliver drones quickly and reliably.”
ESAero and Red Cat have collaborated for over a year, jointly developing the Teal 2 and Black Widow drones. With more than 130,000 square feet of manufacturing space and robust supply chain capabilities, ESAero is well-positioned to accelerate output to meet escalating demand.
Both companies emphasize the importance of strong, Made-in-America partnerships in supporting US defense needs. With ESAero’s backing, Red Cat aims to deliver more Black Widow drones to American warfighters faster than ever.
“We believe this partnership will efficiently provide Teal the capacity required to fulfill their customers’ and warfighters’ demands,” said Andrew Gibson, CEO of ESAero.
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