One of the Boeing Co.’s Orange County acquisitions is taking off.
Boeing, which bought Irvine-based Frontier Systems Inc. more than a year ago, recently won a three-year, $50 million contract with the Navy to develop a drone, or pilotless aircraft.
Boeing has grown the Frontier unit from about 75 to some 140 workers since buying it for what analysts pegged at $40 million to $70 million.
More growth for the Boeing unit could be on the way, said Daryl Stephenson, spokesman for Boeing Phantom Works, which oversees the Irvine operations.
“This is a burgeoning market, and it’s something that has really accelerated during these last few years,” Stephenson said. “You can put (drones) in harm’s way, and you don’t have to worry about anyone getting hurt.”
The former Frontier facility in Irvine has been renamed Boeing Phantom Works Advanced Unmanned Systems,Concept Exploration. Engineers there are working on the A160 Hummingbird, a drone that looks a bit like a helicopter and can take off and land vertically.
The Irvine site handles development, manufacturing and assembly of the Hummingbirds. The Navy contract calls for Boeing to look at the cost and suitability of the Hummingbird for military use.
The Hummingbird will be tested with infrared systems, communications and other military gear.
Although this is a Navy contract, the Hummingbird could work with Army operations and be used for other military branches and homeland security. Foreign militaries are possible customers, too.
Boeing has other unmanned aircraft under development. They include the combat-oriented X-45C Joint-Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle and small aircraft produced with partners, such as the ScanEagle, which is used in Iraq.
