RapidFlight, an unmanned aircraft manufacturing company headquartered in Virginia, recently announced the acquisition of the intellectual property (IP) portfolio of Local Motors. This strategic move underscores RapidFlight’s commitment to deploying additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to meet its national security customers’ needs. By harnessing the power of 3D printing and other AM techniques, RapidFlight delivers – unmanned aircraft systems that surpass industry standards in terms of time-to-market and scalability.
Local Motors was a pioneer in the use of large format additive manufacturing technologies with a focus on large scale transportation vehicles.
RapidFlight’s M2 UAS is supported by advanced additive manufacturing techniques.
Local Motors was an American automobile manufacturing company founded in 2007 by John B. Rogers Jr. based out of Phoenix, Arizona. A pioneer in the use of large format additive manufacturing technologies, the company had successfully built large scale transportation vehicles and autonomous buses such as the Olli. Along the way, Local Motors developed a significant intellectual property portfolio while contributing significant advancements in affordable and practical commercial deployments of AM technologies.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Local Motors’ IP portfolio, which aligns perfectly with our mission to revolutionize the unmanned aircraft industry through advanced additive manufacturing technologies. We are bringing cutting-edge technologies from the venture-funded commercial sector to the national security space and delivering products to the DoD with them,” said Jay Gundlach, Ph.D., RapidFlight’s Chief Executive Officer.
With this acquisition, RapidFlight gains access to Local Motors’ extensive intellectual property resources, including patents, designs, and engineering expertise. This infusion of knowledge and assets accelerates RapidFlight’s product development efforts, enabling the company to demonstrate its groundbreaking UAS products in weeks rather than years.
“Local Motors was in business for more than a decade. It was funded through millions of dollars of venture investment and developed critical large format AM technologies in partnership with some of the most reputable US government laboratories. We have acquired the fruits of all that labor and are bolstering RapidFlight’s own family of patent applications through this acquisition,” said Brad Schneider, RapidFlight’s Chief Operating Officer.
