Inspiring the Teamwork that Builds UAS Innovation at Edge Autonomy: Meet Desiray Johnston.

A series of subsystem upgrades – known collectively as the “Havoc” configuration – has doubled the flight endurance and payload capacity of the base VXE30 Stalker system.

San Luis Obispo, CA – May 6, 2024 – Edge Autonomy, a leading provider of uncrewed autonomous systems, announced today a major performance enhancement to the field-proven VXE30 Stalker UAS. Through a series of subsystem upgrades – known collectively as the “Havoc” configuration – Edge Autonomy has doubled the flight endurance and payload capacity of the base VXE30 Stalker system, closing the gap between the capabilities of small UAS and large UAS.

“We have been evolving the Stalker series for nearly two decades, and the VXE30 is the product of intense mission-focused innovation to meet the real needs of our customers,” said Joshua Stinson, Chief Growth Officer for Edge Autonomy. “The Havoc configuration builds on years of deployed operations and direct user feedback accumulated over more than 100,000 flight hours across six continents to provide the warfighter with an unparalleled system that is ready for use on the battlefield.” 

“Our goal was to provide a single, highly flexible UAS that could meet the needs of a wide range of operational units, from the company level to the brigade,” said Allen Gardner, CTO of Edge Autonomy. “By upgrading key subsystems on the VXE30, we can provide a solution that is light and mobile enough for small forward-deployed units while also able to hit the payload capacity, range, and endurance numbers of the higher echelons – all with the field-proven, silent, VTOL configuration UAS that our customers have relied on for years.”

With the flexibility and adaptability to host a wide variety of configurations – all without wasting time and budget on reconfiguring the airframe itself – the Havoc not only meets the demanding mission challenges faced by today’s uncrewed aerial systems but anticipates potential issues facing the battlefields of the future.

Current VXE30 operators require no additional training in order to operate the Havoc configuration, and all user interfaces remain unchanged between the various configurations of VXE30. The system      remains payload agnostic and is prepped for third party integrations through a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) frequently utilized by customers to integrate new payloads and subsystems without the need for Edge Autonomy support.

“Edge Autonomy is committed to meeting the changing needs of the warfighters we support, and we are excited to see what they will accomplish with the Havoc” said John Purvis, CEO of Edge Autonomy. “We built a system that would be easily reconfigurable, giving operators equipment to meet the growing mission demands they are facing now and in the future.” 

About Edge Autonomy

Edge Autonomy is a leader in providing innovative autonomous systems, advanced optics, and resilient energy solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Federal Civilian Agencies, allied governments, academic institutions, and commercial entities. We believe that innovation – in all forms, from all sources, and at all stages of development – creates solutions that enable mission success. Our uncrewed technologies are used in nearly 80 countries by government, commercial, and academic customers.

Edge Autonomy has a team of 600 employees and draws on nearly four decades of proven aerospace engineering, manufacturing expertise, and advanced technology. With headquarters in San Luis Obispo, CA and nearly 300,000 square feet of manufacturing and production capabilities across the U.S. and abroad, Edge Autonomy’s experienced team delivers mission-focused results around the world.

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Desiray Johnston knows how to build a strong team. A former Division I basketball player for California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, Desiray credits a lifetime of competitive sports with giving her a solid foundation in leadership, communication, and time management skills, as well as the ability to work well in teams while managing stressful situations.

As Senior Production Manager for the Edge Autonomy San Luis Obispo manufacturing facility, Desiray oversees the production floor where UAS technology and resilient energy solutions are built. With more than a decade of engineering and production experience in the aerospace industry, she understands how to foster an inclusive environment where engineers, technicians, and other team members are equipped with the tools needed to excel in their roles and pursue career advancement.

Desiray joined Edge Autonomy in March 2023 because she was attracted to the culture of continuous innovation and effective teamwork across all departments. She was also motivated by the company’s potential for future growth and wanted to be part of the excitement.

“I have spent my career honing my skills in manufacturing operations, project management, engineering, and process improvement,” she says. “I saw so much potential at Edge Autonomy and knew it would be a dynamic place to continue growing my career while helping the company meet its goals and prepare for product and solution expansion.”

Getting to witness this accelerated development on the production floor is both the most rewarding and challenging part of Desiray’s role.

“Our processes quickly grew from a prototype environment to a serial production facility,” she explains. “Throughout 2023 we saw a 300% increase in production, and we’re on track to continue this growth trend in 2024 as well.”

How did Desiray help her team achieve such an aggressive ramp rate increase?

She believes relying on team members with product and process knowledge played a major role, as did value stream mapping and incorporating Lean Six Sigma tools. Desiray has her Lean Six Sigma certification—the foremost training for leading project teams and managing process improvement initiatives. She’s currently a Master Black Belt.

“For effective change management in a rapidly growing company like Edge Autonomy, you’ve got to know the why,” she adds. “In my opinion, that why is the balance between innovations that directly benefit our forces in the field and working alongside my team to help grow and advance them personally and professionally.”

To achieve outstanding results in a short timeframe, Desiray creates a vision statement for what success means. For her team in San Luis Obispo, that vision statement is: “To cultivate a dynamic and innovative environment where collaboration, continuous improvement, and teamwork thrive, empowering our team to achieve rapid growth and build a quality product our customers can rely on and exceed expectations.”

Throughout her career, Desiray has also taken steps that push her outside her comfort zone, pursuing mentorship programs and professional development opportunities that stretch her capacities.

“Being willing to reflect on your progress and then adapt is key,” she explains.

Clear and empathetic communication is another skill that Desiray values. “You’ve got to know your audience and how to best communicate with them,” she says. “It’s important to ask for advice and surround yourself with individuals who have the skillset you want to develop so you can learn from them.”

The growing capabilities of Edge Autonomy’s next generation of UAVs—Group 2 uncrewed aircraft with increased range and payload capacity—along with continuous improvements to processes and mission-based innovations, keep things interesting for Desiray and her team. “I’m excited about the future of uncrewed systems with forthcoming AI enhancements like real-time data processing and decision-making.”

As a parent to a two-year-old daughter and five-month-old son, Desiray doesn’t have much time to relax, but she stays physically and mentally healthy outside of work by pursuing outdoor activities and her lifelong love of sports.

The lessons in leadership and teamwork provided by athletics have undoubtedly benefitted Desiray’s co-workers at the San Luis Obispo manufacturing facility in tangible ways.

“I’m proud of the team we’ve built,” she says. “We’re a diverse and inclusive group of people. We’re all striving to reach common goals so that Edge Autonomy continues on this path of remarkable growth.”

Looking for career advancement and opportunities that provide a meaningful impact to national security and aviation innovations? Explore our open positions and check out what life is like at Edge Autonomy.

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