Full-Time

Chief UAS Pilot

Heven AeroTech

Heven AeroTech

51-200 employees

Hydrogen-powered UAVs for long-endurance, multi-mission

Compensation Overview

$125k - $200k/yr

Sterling, VA, USA

Remote

Travel required 50% of the time within and outside the continental United States.

Category
Aerospace Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Microsoft Office
Supply Chain Management
Cybersecurity

Get referred to Heven AeroTech

See people who can refer or advise you

Requirements
  • At least five years of practical experience with secure radio frequency or beyond visual line of sight and satellite communication.
  • At least five years of payload experience with electro-optical/infrared cameras, thermal imaging sensors, LiDAR, synthetic aperture radar, and communication relays.
  • A minimum of 1,500 total flight hours on a multirotor system as pilot in command, with at least 40 takeoffs and landings within the previous 90 days.
  • Experience with Group II and/or Group III fixed-wing unmanned aircraft systems.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
  • Experience developing, writing, or maintaining programs and systems.
  • Experience delivering and developing training.
  • Ability to organize and maintain registrations, insurance, certifications, and training records.
  • An FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and a Class II medical certificate.
Responsibilities
  • Oversee the United States drone program in collaboration with overseas offices.
  • Oversee all drones, drone pilots, programs, and training for the United States.
  • Work with supply chain management to source National Defense Authorization Act-compliant parts and materials for the unmanned aircraft systems portfolio in compliance with cybersecurity and logistics requirements.
  • Register all drones and collaborate with insurance providers, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other regulatory authorities.
  • Act as the authorized primary pilot and aviation technical advisor for the aircraft and associated support equipment, including the Ground Control Station and hydrogen-generation equipment.
  • Develop, implement, and manage the training program for drone pilots and ground crew.
  • Conduct initial and refresher training for pilots and ground crew.
  • Administer final qualification checks and oversee continuation training for personnel.
  • Monitor and maintain flight crew records and qualifications in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
  • Certify training pilots to train customer pilots on flight operations for Part 107 operations.
  • Develop and manage the flight-plan review process 48 hours before flight and concise test reports or summaries after flight.
  • Develop and manage required flight and maintenance logbooks across all flight and Ground Support Equipment platforms and teams.
  • Become intimately familiar with the product portfolio, including air-vehicle operations and maintenance, Ground Control Stations and associated software and user interfaces, and Ground Support Equipment.
  • Support development of sustainment-ready military unmanned aircraft systems by providing product feedback to engineering teams to inform design objectives and improvements.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience deploying and leading unmanned aircraft systems teams in hostile threat environments.
  • Practical experience working with the Department of Defense or federal, state, or local law enforcement in deploying unmanned systems.

Heven AeroTech makes hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for defense, industrial, and public-safety missions, with platforms like H2D55, H2D200, H2D250, H100, and Raider that offer long endurance and heavy payloads. These drones use hydrogen propulsion for longer flight times and near-zero acoustic signatures, combining VTOL and fixed-wing designs for efficiency and range, and they feature modular payload bays for sensors or delivery gear. They differentiate themselves by using hydrogen instead of lithium batteries, enabling longer endurance, higher payloads, quieter operation for covert work, and partnerships in the US and India to support local assembly and scale deployments. The goal is to provide sustainable, long-range aerial mobility for ISR, security patrols, remote delivery, and industrial monitoring.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$100M

Headquarters

Haifa, Israel

Founded

2019

Get referred to Heven AeroTech

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Heven added Lexi Alexander in July 2026 after workforce growth to 88.
  • SupplyCore showcased Z1 at SOF Week 2026, expanding federal buyer visibility.
  • The February 2026 DoW HyTEC contract extends hydrogen generation for tactical drones.

What critics are saying

  • Army BOA in March 2026 guarantees access, not purchase volume or revenue.
  • Hydrogen trailer logistics remain unproven; HyTEC failure collapses the refueling advantage.
  • One Pentagon pivot to cheaper battery swarms destroys Heven’s hydrogen niche.

What makes Heven AeroTech unique

  • Heven’s Z1 earned Blue UAS Select and Army BOA access in March 2026.
  • Hydrogen propulsion gives Z1 ten-hour endurance and rapid field refueling.
  • SupplyCore reseller access and IonQ quantum integration widen Heven’s defense channel.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

401(k) Retirement Plan

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

10%

1 year growth

-3%

2 year growth

-8%
PR Newswire
Jul 14th, 2026
Heven AeroTech hires defense veteran as CGO after 132% headcount surge

Heven AeroTech has appointed Lexi Alexander as chief growth officer to lead operational scaling and international expansion. Alexander brings over 20 years of defence growth leadership in cyber warfare, AI data platforms, and secure logistics. The Virginia-based hydrogen-powered drone manufacturer has expanded its workforce by 132%, growing from 38 employees at year-end 2025 to 88 currently. The company has also appointed three additional executives: Dr Karen Swider-Lyons as VP of hydrogen, Samantha Hamilton as VP of AI, and Gaston Paz as head of manufacturing and operational strategy. Heven AeroTech manufactures hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial systems with AI and quantum-enabled capabilities for defence applications. The appointments aim to support the company's expansion into federal defence markets and international operations.

DroneLife
Mar 13th, 2026
Hydrogen-powered Z1 UAS Enters U.S. Army Acquisition Pipeline

Hydrogen-powered Z1 UAS enters U.S. Army acquisition pipeline. Heven AeroTech has secured a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) with the U.S. Army Contracting Command - Redstone Arsenal for its Z1 hydrogen-powered unmanned aircraft system and supporting hydrogen generation systems. Hydrogen-powered Z1 enters Army acquisition pipeline. Effective January 2026, the BOA establishes a streamlined contract vehicle for Army units to acquire the Z1 and associated hydrogen infrastructure through the U.S. Army UAS Project Office. The agreement leverages the Z1's status as a Blue UAS Select platform, aligning the system with Department of Defense requirements for secure, domestically aligned unmanned aircraft. "This agreement represents an important step in reducing procurement friction for Army units seeking advanced UAS capabilities," said Michael Buscher, Heven AeroTech President of U.S. Operations. "Hydrogen-powered systems offer extended endurance, logistical flexibility, and reduced dependency on traditional fuel and battery supply chains." Focus on long-endurance UAS operations. Heven AeroTech positions the Z1 as a hydrogen-powered, runway-independent drone engineered for mission-critical missions that require long endurance and flexible payload options. Hydrogen fuel supports extended flight times compared to conventional battery-powered platforms and enables rapid refueling through dedicated hydrogen generation systems in the field. The BOA is intended to support rapid deployment, technology maturation, testing and evaluation, system integration, fielding, sustainment, and modernization of Z1-based UAS capabilities across Army units. According to Buscher, "Through this BOA, we are positioned to provide Army units with a pre-negotiated acquisition pathway to Heven's systems, enabling faster procurement and accelerating our ability to support evolving mission requirements with resilient, domestically aligned technology." Alignment with U.S. drone policy. The agreement aligns with the Administration's Executive Order on "Unleashing American Drone Dominance," which emphasizes strengthening U.S. drone capabilities and the domestic industrial base. Heven AeroTech is headquartered in Sterling, Virginia, and designs, manufactures, and deploys unmanned systems for defense, commercial, and humanitarian applications. The company describes its platforms as combining endurance, stealth, and modularity, with core systems designed and built in the United States and operational deployments worldwide. More information on Heven Drones is available from their website.

Intelligence Community News
Feb 23rd, 2026
Scott Howell joins Heven advisory board

Scott howell joins Heven advisory board. 0 Comments On February 18, Heven AeroTech announced that it has welcomed Lieutenant General (Ret.) Scott A. Howell to its advisory board. With more than three decades of distinguished service in the United States Air Force, Gen. Howell brings unparalleled leadership experience across joint, interagency, and multinational operations; experience that aligns directly with Heven's mission to deliver next-generation, mission-ready aerospace solutions, the company said. Most recently, Gen. Howell served as the 15th Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), where he oversaw highly specialized forces across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and was responsible for global operational readiness and mission execution across multiple theaters. Prior to that role, he served as Vice Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), working closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and interagency partners to shape strategic priorities and future capabilities. Throughout his career, Gen. Howell deployed extensively in support of U.S. and allied operations, including assignments in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti, Mozambique, Djibouti, and Somalia. His depth of operational insight and systems-level perspective will be invaluable as Heven continues to scale hydrogen-powered, long-endurance platforms designed for complex and austere environments. Keep up with your competitors by following notable executive moves across the IC contracting space - become a paid subscriber to IC News.

Unmanned Systems Technology
Dec 15th, 2025
$100M Series B Accelerates UAS Production & Quantum-Enabled Capabilities | UST

Heven AeroTech, a developer of hydrogen-powered Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), has secured a $100 million Series B funding round, which...

Defense Daily
Dec 1st, 2025
Heven AeroTech Raises $100 Million To Scale Production, Develop Quantum Capabilities

Heven AeroTech raises $100 million to scale production, develop quantum capabilities. Drone developer Heven AeroTech on Monday said it has raised $100 million in a new funding round for expanding its manufacturing infrastructure, fielding infrastructure that supports its hydrogen-powered drones and developing quantum technology for use in its products. The Series B round was led by quantum technology company IonQ [IONQ], which last week announced a financial investment in, and strategic partnership with, Heven (Defense Daily, Nov. 26). With the new raise, Northern Virginia-based Heven said it is now valued at... Subscriber-only content. Please log in below. Not a subscriber or registered user yet? Please contact us at [email protected] or call us at 888-707-5814 (Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET.), to start a free trial, get pricing information, order a reprint, or post an article link on your website.