“Success Has Become Our Normal.” Meet the Edge Autonomy Flight Operations Team

When always-on power is critical to operational success, reliable resources are a necessity – even if the mission is in an area that is off-grid or difficult to access.

“This means raising customer awareness about the impact our power solutions can have in challenging environments,” says James Hart, Technical Sales Support Engineer at Edge Autonomy Energy Systems. “In many situations, critical power needs can pose great financial risk to our customers and could even mean the difference between life and death.”

James has worked closely with adaptive energy solutions for nearly two decades and knows the critical impact Edge Autonomy Energy Systems makes in commercial sectors as well as battlefields.

“Our products are field-proven and can make a substantial difference in operations that require off-grid, always-on power. This can save resources and significantly reduce the potential for operator hardship,” James explains.

Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Edge Autonomy Energy Systems produces ruggedized and efficient power solutions for a variety of applications, including the solid oxide fuel cell that is a component of the Edge Autonomy VXE30 Stalker long-range UAS solution. With compact and portable power applications that can operate in the most austere and remote locations, Edge Autonomy Energy Solutions has been operational in commercial and military applications for more than 20 years.

James finds it rewarding to work with power solutions that have a rich heritage of addressing highly targeted, real-world challenges. “One of the best parts of my job is helping our customers integrate and use our fuel cell products to meet specific needs. Being a part of energy systems that make a real difference in a variety of challenging conditions is very meaningful to me.”

Ensuring that each unique customer need is met and advising clients on a mission-to-mission basis is where James truly excels. “My customers are my main focus, and I will always listen to the actual issues they face. The ability to hear what they need is critical, as is a genuine passion for our products and the challenges they address. Making our customers feel important is a vital part of my role—because they are important. Their missions are my missions.”

Critical Thinking Leads to Critical Success

James knew early in his education that he wanted to pursue a career in a scientific or technical field. He credits the influential people and inspiring technology he worked with in school for equipping him with the critical thinking skills, technical writing ability, and foundational scientific knowledge required in his role. He has also sought out mentorship from coworkers and pursued training, which not only advanced the learning that is critical in this industry, but also strengthened the relationships that are just as critical to success.

James’ creativity, curiosity, and commitment to continued professional development have equipped him with the communication skills needed to connect with Edge Autonomy Energy Systems customers in ways that ensure their concerns are heard and understood.

Building meaningful partner relationships with companies in the rail industry, alternative power and utilities, and government agencies is a key focus for James.

“By working together we are able to offer solutions tailored to each individual need,” says James. “Each operation and each success inspires me because they demonstrate how our energy solutions are solving complex problems in a wide array of industries.”

Energy Solutions Beyond UAS

James works with a diverse clientele from around the nation, which motivates him to remain committed to continuous learning and growth.

“Being open and willing to learn is critical,” says James. “This is a dynamic industry and there is a lot of knowledge to be gained from the talented engineers, developers, and innovators at the forefront of this technology.”

As missions and operations continue to evolve and expand, the need to power the associated communications and other critical activities will become more demanding.

“Our federal and civilian customers continue to require more and better communications equipment, and this means more robust backup and prime power solutions,” James explains. “We’re always evolving our power solutions to make them more efficient, easier to deploy, and to extend the operations cycle, which frees up operators to focus on other critical operations.”

With cost-effective energy solutions that benefit dynamic industries from railroad to aviation, the Edge Autonomy Energy Systems team is committed to providing products and solutions that contribute to operations and mission success.

Sound interesting? We’re growing, and we’re always looking for innovators eager to join the dynamic industries of autonomous technology and energy systems. Learn more about open positions at Edge Autonomy.

As a U.S. Army Veteran with seventeen years in the aviation industry, Greg Nichols understands the critical role Edge Autonomy’s technologies can play in achieving mission success for soldiers on the battlefield.

“There was a time when I was the soldier on the ground,” he says. “I know how important it is to get fast and accurate intel, and I’ve been a part of mission operations from the boots-on-the-ground all the way up the chain of command.”

As Director of Flight Operations for Edge Autonomy, Greg applies this real-world experience to meeting customer needs. He leads a team of instructors, operators, and subject matter experts, including several Veterans with service in Army, Airforce, and Navy.

The US Flight Operations team ensures that the Edge Autonomy VXE30 Stalker uncrewed aircraft meets a wide array of mission criteria and are ready to perform under a variety of complex, ever-changing conditions. A portable, flexible, and quiet UAS platform, the VXE30 Stalker provides long-endurance, long-range mission support in a wide variety of environments. And with the newly-release VXE30 Stalker Havoc configuration, the range and payload capacity of the aircraft has more than doubled.

“Working with the VXE30 Stalker really makes me appreciate the robust capabilities of the aircraft and its ability to provide fast and accurate ‘eyes in the sky’ information to the team on the ground,” Greg explains. “Other systems I’ve used in the past have a significantly shorter flight time and smaller cameras, which honestly don’t make much sense in the field. On the other hand, the Stalker presents a full ISR package with a small logistics footprint so that our customers can get greater situational awareness when time is of the essence. This also reduces the cognitive load on the operator so that they can easily control the intel they need and want.”

Edge Autonomy is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the VXE30 Stalker and has been innovating and evolving the aircraft since 2006. With recent upgrades in range and payload capacity and exciting AI integrations on the horizon, this is a dynamic time to be a part of the Flight Operations team.

“This group is smart and highly motivated – I don’t think people realize how hard they work,” Greg says of his crew. “Every single one of them is exceptional.”

Positive attitudes and unwavering commitment make this front-facing team a cohesive unit where everyone works together. “They want these aircraft to succeed in providing our customers with the best and most reliable intel possible. Their motivation and dedication are phenomenal. They often work long days and are happy to do so to meet our objectives.”

One of these primary objectives is conducting field exercises at both dedicated testing facilities and on military installations across the United States. At a recent demo over Fort Carson, Colorado, Edge Autonomy Flight Operations worked with active-duty personnel within the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the Army’s original SFG focusing on the Eastern Europe area of operations.

“This year has consisted of back-to-back demos that showcase our innovations,” says Greg. “We’ve been all over the country conducting training events and demonstrations for our military partners. Success has become our ‘normal’ because it’s what we do all the time.”

This success means a growing demand for on-site demonstrations – and Edge Autonomy continues to expand to meet these needs.

“I’m looking forward to our team doing even more fieldwork with our customers,” says Greg. “When we conduct on-site support, it isn’t just an opportunity to teach our customers how to operate our aircraft – it’s also an opportunity to learn from them and understand the real-world needs in the field.”

Based on this year’s track record of successful demonstrations and customer training, the future is looking bright for the Flight Operations Department.

“I’m very proud of this team,” says Greg. “Their success not only reflects on Edge Autonomy, but also helps us support our customers’ critical mission needs.”

Interested in joining a motivated, dedicated, and mission-ready team like this one? Take a look at our open positions.

“Success Has Become Our Normal.” Meet the Edge Autonomy Flight Operations Team

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