AIRO Group Holdings announced the successful completion of the first RQ‑35 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance drones produced to full operational standard in its U.S. manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks the first U.S.-manufactured RQ‑35 systems and a major step forward in the company’s Made‑in‑America expansion strategy.
The systems—built to the same specifications as those produced at AIRO’s Denmark facility—completed Phase 1 of the U.S. manufacturing and validation program. This phase encompassed system assembly, including integration of all major components and complete system build-up. The aircraft then underwent a comprehensive flight‑test campaign, concluding with successful final flights on December 11.
“Completing the first U.S.-built RQ‑35 systems is a significant milestone for AIRO and a testament to the skill and dedication of our Phoenix and Denmark teams” said Joe Burns, CEO of AIRO, “Their seamless collaboration, rigorous training, and execution will enable us to deliver combat‑proven ISR systems from U.S. soil. This achievement reflects our commitment to our customers, our partners, and our promise to expand reliable, mission‑ready drone production in the United States.”
“I’m extremely proud of both our U.S. Drone team and the Sky‑Watch team in Denmark. Their close collaboration and the hands‑on support from Sky‑Watch leadership have been instrumental in standing up our U.S. manufacturing capability” added John Uczekaj, President and COO of AIRO, “Their combined expertise has accelerated our path to producing reliable, operationally proven RQ‑35 systems in Phoenix.”
“Our focus has been on ensuring the Phoenix team is aligned with the engineering, production, and testing standards that define the RQ‑35″ said Martin Schousboe, CEO of Sky‑Watch, “We are committed to providing the technical and operational expertise needed to establish a consistent and reliable U.S. production line. The combined efforts of our Danish and U.S. teams reflect a strong, disciplined partnership that we are proud of.”
The RQ‑35 has earned a global reputation as a leading force‑multiplying ISR and targeting drone, optimized for operation in GPS‑denied, jamming‑intense, and EW‑rich environments. The system delivers persistent intelligence with minimal operator load and is engineered to operate reliably from extreme cold to extreme heat. With resilient communications, optimized payloads, and a long record of durability, RQ‑35 aircraft have proven to be reliable force‑multipliers across diverse theaters.
This U.S. production milestone also advances the RQ‑35 in the Department of War’s Blue UAS certification process, enabling more efficient procurement and deployment pathways. It further strengthens AIRO’s expanding drone portfolio—including the RQ‑35, our strategic Nord Drone joint venture, and our continued progress on the Bullet JV—as our business teams actively pursue opportunities with U.S. and allied government customers.
“Today’s accomplishment is about keeping our promises—to our employees, our investors, and our clients” said Chirinjeev Kathuria, Executive Chairman of AIRO, “We set a clear goal to deliver the first complete RQ‑35 systems from our U.S. facility before the end of 2025, and we have done exactly that. This is only the beginning of what AIRO will achieve as we scale U.S. production.”
