Swarm Aero Opens New Arkansas UAV Factory

Swarm Aero held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Advanced Manufacturing Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, February 17. According to a company statement, the new uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) factory is 80,000 square feet and has the capacity to produce thousands of drones.

The defense startup develops unmanned aircraft designed to operate in groups. The company says its production technique, which uses composite airframe manufacturing techniques, allows it to produce drones at a faster rate than traditional aerospace production.

In a statement, Swarm Aero CEO Danny Goodman said his company considered numerous other states before settling on Arkansas and claimed that drones are fundamental to upcoming conflicts.

“We looked at over 20 states before deciding to put down manufacturing roots in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We chose Northwest Arkansas because of the exceptional talent and partners, and we’re thrilled to continue our growth here,” Goodman, who is also a co-founder of Swarm Aero, said. “Large UAVs are the future of armed conflict. When paired with our swarm command and control software, they can achieve major combat objectives by cooperating with superhuman dexterity while being several times cheaper than traditional aircraft. This is one of the most consequential developments in modern conflict and we have built an exceptionally talented engineering team to bring this vision to life.”

In a statement, Nelson Peacock, CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council, said the decision bolsters the region’s reputation for advanced aviation manufacturing.

“Swarm’s presence here will create meaningful, high-quality jobs while opening new pathways for collaboration with our universities, technical schools, and workforce programs. Just as importantly, Swarm’s mission strengthens the role our region can play in supporting technologies that are critical to America’s national security and industrial resilience. We are proud to welcome Swarm to Northwest Arkansas and look forward to supporting their growth as part of our community,” Peacock said.