Piasecki Aircraft

What Piasecki Aircraft does

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (PiAC) is a privately held, family-controlled aerospace research and development company founded in 1955 by Frank N. Piasecki, currently led by CEO John Piasecki. The company specializes in the design, fabrication, and flight testing of experimental vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) rotorcraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and has developed and flown more than 25 different advanced VTOL and UAV aircraft over its 70-year history. Core platforms include the ARES modular tilt-duct VTOL (first hover September 2024), the KARGO UAV / KARGO II autonomous cargo system (acquired from Kaman Air Vehicles in April 2025 with a $12M USMC MARV-EL award and 1,300+ lb payload capacity), the PA-890 all-electric slowed-rotor winged compound eVTOL targeting zero emissions and 50% lower direct operating costs, the CHI-107-III heavy-lift rotorcraft upgrade (with Columbia Helicopters), and supporting technologies including the ADAPT damage-tolerant flight control suite, KlearPath LADAR-based autonomous collision avoidance (developed with Carnegie Mellon), AeroSteel cargo floor panels, Air Scout tandem ducted fan UAS, and Turais air-launched UAV. Hydrogen propulsion is pursued through a multi-phase partnership with HyPoint to deliver five 650kW fuel cell systems for the PA-890, with Piasecki holding an exclusive license to partnership-developed technology.

The company's revenue model is built on U.S. Department of Defense and federal agency R&D contracts (AFWERX/AFRL $37M STRATFI, USMC $12M MARV-EL, DARPA, NAVAIR, DOE, TATRC, SBIR/STTR programs), supplemented by prospective product sales of KARGO/KARGO II cargo UAS, PA-890 eVTOL aircraft, and CHI-107-III rotorcraft upgrades, plus licensing of jointly developed hydrogen fuel cell technology. Go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales responding to formal DoD program office requests (PMA-263 Long Range Heavy Lift ULS-A), with event-driven presence at industry conferences (AAAA Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit, Vertical Flight Society Forum, Agility Prime events) and a commercial channel partnership with VEA (Vertical Engineering Aviation) for eVTOL commercialization. Piasecki maintains an AS9100 certified quality system and an FAA Part 145 Repair Station at its 219,000-square-foot Coatesville Heliplex facility, acquired from Lockheed Martin Sikorsky in May 2023, with plans to scale headcount from 51-100 today to approximately 400 by 2028. Customer concentration is heavily skewed to U.S. federal defense customers, with commercial eVTOL revenue still pre-commercial.

Name

Piasecki Aircraft

Legal name

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation

Website

https://piasecki.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation is a privately held, family-controlled aerospace R&D firm founded in 1955 that designs, fabricates, and flight-tests experimental VTOL rotorcraft and unmanned aerial systems — primarily serving U.S. Department of Defense and federal agency customers through programs such as KARGO UAV, ARES, and the PA-890 hydrogen eVTOL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft

NAICS

Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms (IMABAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tiltrotor & Compound Rotorcraft Manufacturing (IMABABAC), Military Rotorcraft Platforms (IMABAMAB), Rotorcraft Avionics, Flight Controls & Autopilots (IMABABAH), Rotorcraft Prototype Development & Final Assembly (IMABABAL)

Keywords

• Vertical takeoff landing aircraft
• Unmanned cargo aircraft
• Rotorcraft research development
• Hydrogen propulsion systems
• Autonomous VTOL UAS

Headquarters

HQ city

Essington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government R&D Contracts: Piasecki generates primary revenue through U.S. Department of Defense and government agency R&D contracts, including AFWERX/AFRL ($37M STRATFI), U.S. Marine Corps ($12M MARV-EL initial award), DARPA SBIR programs, NAVAIR SBIR, DOE SBIR, and Army SBIR contracts for advanced VTOL and UAV development.
2. UAS/Cargo UAV Product Sales: Revenue from sale of autonomous cargo UAV systems including KARGO UAV (acquired from Kaman Air Vehicles) and KARGO II production variant to military and commercial customers for contested logistics operations.
3. VTOL eVTOL Aircraft Sales: Revenue from sale of eVTOL aircraft (PA-890 compound helicopter) and upgraded heavy-lift rotorcraft (CHI-107-III in partnership with Columbia Helicopters) targeting commercial EMS, on-demand logistics, and military customers.
4. Licensing of Technology: Exclusive licensing of hydrogen fuel cell technology developed with HyPoint for eVTOL applications; Piasecki holds exclusive license to technology created in the partnership for the PA-890, with HyPoint maintaining ownership of underlying technology.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation is a research and development business specializing in the design, fabrication, and flight testing of experimental rotorcraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. The company develops VTOL aircraft and UAS platforms including the KARGO II autonomous cargo UAV, ARES tilt-duct VTOL, PA-890 eVTOL compound helicopter, and CHI-107-III upgraded heavy-lift rotorcraft, primarily for U.S. military and commercial aviation customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KARGO UAV: Medium-lift autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle for cargo VTOL capabilities, designed for operations in contested and remote environments.
• KARGO II UAV
• ARES
• PA-890
• ADAPT
• Turais
• Air Scout
• AeroSteel
• KlearPath

Products and services

• KARGO UAV / KARGO II UAV Medium-lift autonomous cargo unmanned aerial vehicle designed for operations in contested and remote environments, with modular payload integration, GPS-denied autonomous navigation, and projected demand exceeding 300 aircraft.
• ARES Tilt-Duct VTOL System Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System — a modular multi-mission tilt-wing VTOL UAS with interchangeable Mission Payload Modules, designed for shipboard and expeditionary operations.
• PA-890 Slowed-Rotor Winged Compound eVTOL All-electric Slowed-Rotor Winged Compound eVTOL helicopter with variable incidence wing, large four-bladed main rotor, and swiveling tail rotor, designed for EMS, on-demand logistics, and personnel air transport.
• CHI-107-III Heavy-Lift Rotorcraft Upgrade Upgraded configuration of existing Model 107-II helicopters for enhanced fuel efficiency, power, and robustness, serving military and civil applications including emergency response, aerial firefighting, forestry, and infrastructure support.
• Air Scout Tandem Ducted Fan VTOL UAS Scaled-down ducted fan VTOL UAS designed for organic ground combat unit ISR, combat resupply, and RSTA missions with tandem ducted fans providing augmented lift and ground personnel protection.
• Turais Air-Launched Surveillance UAV Multi-mission air-launched modular UAV for US Navy SBIR, deployable in-flight from P-3C Orion with heavy fuel engine, high aspect ratio wing, and autonomous navigation capabilities.
• AeroSteel Innovative Cargo Floor Steel-based innovative cargo floor manufacturing process producing panels more durable and lower cost than composite, up to 50% lighter than aluminum, for CH-53K King Stallion and other cargo transport applications.
• KlearPath Autonomous Collision Avoidance System LADAR-based autonomous collision avoidance, landing zone selection, and navigation system developed with Carnegie Mellon, demonstrated on Boeing ULB as the world's first fully autonomous collision avoidance on full-scale man-rated rotorcraft.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% reduction in direct operating cost for PA-890 eVTOL vs conventional turbine helicopters
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability9 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Kaman Air VehiclescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Piasecki Aircraft acquired all intellectual property and assets of Kaman Air Vehicles' KARGO UAV program, expanding its portfolio of vertical lift and cargo UAS solutions. KARGO UAV is a medium-lift autonomous aerial cargo system demonstrated to U.S. Marine Corps and Army, with initial $12M Marine Corps award and projected demand exceeding 300 aircraft. All R&D and operations relocated to Piasecki's Heliplex in Coatesville, PA.
• Columbia HelicopterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2024Strategic partnership to upgrade existing Model 107-II helicopters to CHI-107-III configuration for military and civil applications, enhancing fuel efficiency, power, and robustness for emergency response, aerial firefighting, forestry, infrastructure, and defense. Partnership also establishes an FAA Part 145 Repair Station at Piasecki's Coatesville facility, expected to create hundreds of regional jobs.
• HyPointcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2021Multi-phase partnership to develop and certify hydrogen fuel cell systems for eVTOL applications. Initial $6.5M agreement targets 5 x 650kW hydrogen fuel cell systems for Piasecki's PA-890 compound helicopter (world's first manned hydrogen helicopter). Piasecki gains exclusive license to technology created in the partnership; HyPoint retains underlying fuel cell IP. Targets 50% operating cost reduction and 4x battery energy density.
• ZeroAviamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration under $37M AFWERX/AFRL STRATFI contract to develop hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technology for the PA-890 compound helicopter, supporting zero-emission VTOL aircraft development.
• Near Earth AutonomymajorTechnology or IntegrationNear Earth Autonomy's Peregrine system used in KARGO UAV fully autonomous flight testing, enabling sense-and-avoid and GPS-denied autonomous operations for cargo delivery in contested environments.
• Carnegie Mellon UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative development of KlearPath LADAR-based autonomous collision avoidance, landing zone selection, and navigation system. Piasecki flight demonstrated KlearPath on Boeing ULB as the world's first fully autonomous collision avoidance on a full-scale man-rated rotorcraft.
• Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPiasecki's Mobile Multiple Mission Module (M4) used by TATRC to evaluate Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) technologies in relevant environments. M4 designed to accommodate cargo, patients, troops, or combinations with rapidly reconfigurable interior.
• Lockheed Martin SikorskymajorOthersPiasecki acquired the former Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Heliplex facility in Coatesville, PA (219,000 sq ft) in 2023, which was previously used for Sikorsky helicopter manufacturing and R&D.
• VEA (Vertical Engineering Aviation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with VEA to bring safe, affordable, and green air mobility to all, with VEA.com serving as the commercial platform for Piasecki's eVTOL technologies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bell Textron: Bell manufactures the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor and the V-280 Valor, and operates a substantial commercial and military rotorcraft business, including heavy-lift platforms such as the CH-47F partnership with Boeing. It is the most direct competitor to Piasecki's compound helicopter and tilt-duct VTOL work given shared tiltrotor/compound architectures and overlapping military heavy-lift customer base.
• Kaman Aerospace: Kaman is the former owner of the KARGO UAV program (acquired by Piasecki in 2025) and continues to manufacture autonomous air vehicles, including the K-MAX heavy-lift unmanned helicopter and KARGO derivatives. Kaman is a direct peer in autonomous cargo UAS and remains a likely competitor for DoD heavy-lift contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin): Sikorsky is the rotorcraft incumbent that previously operated the Coatesville Heliplex facility acquired by Piasecki and produces the CH-53K King Stallion and SB-1 Defiant, the latter a compound helicopter that competes head-to-head with Piasecki's PA-890 concept. Comparable as a rotorcraft design, prototype, and military program-of-record peer.
• Boeing Rotorcraft & Vertical Lift: Boeing manufactures the CH-47 Chinook and co-produces CH-53K with Sikorsky, dominating the heavy-lift military rotorcraft market that KARGO and CHI-107-III target. Boeing is a broad-incumbent defense prime competitor for the same DoD heavy-lift logistics programs Piasecki is pursuing.
• Airbus Helicopters: Airbus Helicopters is the world's largest commercial helicopter manufacturer (H125, H145, H160, H175, Tiger, NH90) and competes across the same EMS, aerial work, and military markets targeted by PA-890 and CHI-107-III. A broad incumbent across the full rotorcraft portfolio.

Emerging players

• Karem Aircraft: Karem Aircraft develops optimum-speed tiltrotor and heavy-lift UAS architectures (e.g., Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System concepts and HEFTIE proposals) pursuing the same PMA-263 ULS-A and Air Force heavy-lift slots targeted by ARES and KARGO. Comparable as an emerging tiltrotor/UAS competitor.
• Joby Aviation: Joby is a leading eVTOL developer (S4 tilt-rotor eVTOL) pursuing FAA type certification and commercial air taxi launch, with significant public capital and partnerships with Toyota and Uber. Comparable to the PA-890 in commercial eVTOL target markets (EMS, urban air mobility) but with a much larger capital base and battery-electric rather than hydrogen propulsion.
• Archer Aviation: Archer is developing the Midnight four-passenger eVTOL aimed at urban air taxi and corporate shuttle markets, with strong DoD interest (US Air Force AFWERX contracts). Directly comparable to Piasecki's commercial eVTOL ambitions for EMS and on-demand logistics with substantially larger funding and public-market visibility.
• Eve Air Mobility: Eve Air Mobility (Embraer spin-out) is developing the eVTOL e-400 and has signed an LOI for more than 2,800 PA-890 aircraft with Piasecki, making it both a commercial eVTOL peer and Piasecki's largest publicly disclosed prospective customer. Comparable business model and target EMS / air taxi market.

Others

• ZeroAvia: ZeroAvia is a hydrogen-electric propulsion developer partnered with Piasecki under the $37M AFWERX STRATFI contract to power the PA-890 compound helicopter. Comparable as a hydrogen aviation enabling technology peer rather than a direct aircraft competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Piasecki Aircraft