Palmer Luckey’s apparent interest in VTOL technology wouldn’t make his Anduril Industries Inc. the first in Orange County to tackle vertical take-off and landing technologies and applications.
OC has long served as the base for aircraft legend Abe Karem, renowned for his drone development that’s transformed warfare; he’s been given the moniker the “dronefather” for his work over the decades.
His Lake Forest-based aerospace development company, Karem Aircraft Inc., has been working on its vertical take-off and landing technology for about 14 years, primarily for defense contractors.
The company has spun off a new firm for civilians, which was profiled in the Aug. 20, 2019 print edition of the Business Journal.
It’s looking to make an electric battery-powered VTOL air taxi that will transport passengers—think of a flying Uber ride—at a reasonable price.
Also in Irvine, Aria Group, a tech-focused transportation firm recently profiled in Forbes that is setting a new division “dedicated to the development and manufacture of composite structures for the eVTOL and Autonomous Vehicle industries.” It built a prototype Uber-like vehicles that was displayed at January’s Las Vegas CES conference.
Irvine also holds operations for Dzyne Technologies; it designs unmanned vehicles and drones, including VTOL-type products.
—Kevin Costelloe
