UCF Business Incubator graduate Hoverfly Technologies its expanding its headquarters with a new stand-alone facility.
Orlando, Fla. – Hoverfly Technologies Inc., the worldwide leader in tether-powered drone systems, is expanding its headquarters and adding 50 new high-wage jobs paying 20 percent above the average wage in Seminole County. The expansion has given Hoverfly its own stand-alone facility, allowing the company to optimize flight testing and expand the engineering team. Hoverfly’s new headquarters facility is located at 800 Central Park Drive, Sanford, FL.
“Hoverfly is now the leader in tether-powered drone systems,” said Steve Walters, President and COO of Hoverfly. “Over time, we have evolved from creating flight controllers to designing and providing industry leading tethered drones for defense, federal and commercial entities. By elevating cutting edge, ISR and broadband network communications payloads to 200 feet, we increase their capabilities and range, providing a robust and persistent solution set across multiple industries and markets.”
The company’s new 20,000 sq. ft. indoor/outdoor office allows the company to continue to advance in different markets, including defense and federal, security, and public safety sectors. The company currently employs over 60 people, comprised primarily of engineers and technicians. Hoverfly got its start in the University of Central Florida (UCF) Business Incubation Program and has continued to grow in the Orlando area. In fact, Hoverfly was founded by former UCF faculty and over half of the Hoverfly engineers are UCF alumni.
“As a homegrown tech company, Orlando was a natural fit for Hoverfly’s expansion,” said Steve Walters, President and COO of Hoverfly. “Part of the rapid growth can be attributed to the supportive innovation ecosystem here; the company has taken advantage of many local resources including the UCF Business Incubation Program and UCF Career Services. I couldn’t be happier with the quality of engineers and interns we are getting from UCF. They are very bright, dedicated and passionate about what we are doing here at Hoverfly.”
As a homegrown tech company, Orlando was a natural fit for Hoverfly’s expansion.
Steve Walters, President and COO of Hoverfly
Hoverfly’s team specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of tether-powered aerial solutions. The company’s broad industry experience helps them deliver powerful and ruggedized solutions to customers located both domestically and internationally. Its products are field-proven and designed for integration. Unlike free-flying unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Hoverfly’s drones can fly nearly indefinitely, giving users a strong competitive advantage.
“We are excited to celebrate the growth of a cutting-edge technology company here in Seminole County, and we look forward to the new, high-wage positions that Hoverfly will create for our community,” said Seminole County Chairman Bob Dallari.
We are excited to celebrate the growth of a cutting-edge technology company here in Seminole County.
Seminole County Chairman Bob Dallari
Another critical factor in the company’s site search was availability of airspace to accommodate its drone testing flights, which was readily available in Seminole County’s City of Sanford. Sanford’s close proximity to the company’s original facility made it an ideal location for its existing workforce with the appropriate airspace to support future growth.
“Hoverfly’s story of growth and innovation is a great nod to our community’s collaborative innovation ecosystem, and we look forward to seeing the new opportunities on the horizon with the company’s new expanded facility,” said Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership.
The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) assisted Hoverfly Technologies with its expansion in the Orlando region since the site location search for its new headquarters and delivery center began in January of 2021. The Partnership worked closely with Seminole County and the City of Sanford to support the company’s decision to grow in the Orlando region.
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Justin Braun at 407.902.0211 or at Justin.Braun@Orlando.org.
About the Orlando Economic Partnership
The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) is a public-private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization that works to advance broad-based prosperity by strengthening Orlando’s economy, amplifying Orlando’s story, championing regional priorities, empowering community leaders, and building a brilliant region. These five foundational objectives serve to improve the region’s competitiveness while responding to the needs of communities, residents, and businesses.
About Hoverfly Technologies
Hoverfly Technologies is revolutionizing the government and commercial markets for long-duration, small footprint aerial surveillance and secure long-range communications with tethered technology. Hoverfly Technologies is a leading national provider of federal defense drones, security drones, and public safety drones compliant with Section 848 of the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Its clients include leading experts in the defense, security, and public safety industries.
