UAS Manufacturing Advisory
Build it yourself. End contractor dependency for UAS production. This course gives DoD organizations and their supporting industry partners the framework to establish, optimize, and sustain organic UAS manufacturing capability.
UAS Manufacturing Advisory
The DoD’s UAS attrition problem is also a production problem. Platforms are consumed faster than they can be procured through standard acquisition channels. The answer is organic manufacturing capability — and this course builds the framework to stand one up. Delivered by practitioners who actually manufacture NDAA-compliant UAS at production scale.
Program Overview
Five days of hands-on advisory covering the full manufacturing lifecycle: facility design, tooling and equipment selection, supply chain architecture, NDAA compliance framework, quality system establishment, and production planning. Students leave with an actionable manufacturing implementation plan tailored to their organization’s mission, resources, and regulatory environment.
Key Focus Areas:
- Manufacturing facility design: space requirements, tooling layout, safety systems
- Equipment selection: 3D printing, CNC, composite fabrication, and electronics assembly
- Supply chain architecture: domestic sourcing strategy, vendor qualification, NDAA compliance documentation
- Production planning: build-to-stock vs. build-to-order, attrition rate modeling, spare parts strategy
- Quality systems: inspection protocols, acceptance testing, configuration management
- NDAA Section 848 compliance: documentation architecture, component traceability, audit readiness
- Cost modeling: CapEx, OpEx, and break-even analysis for organic vs. contracted production
Who Should Attend
Primary Audience:
- DoD program offices planning organic UAS production capability
- Unit commanders or logistics officers tasked with building forward manufacturing capacity
- Special operations units requiring attritable UAS production at the edge
- DoD R&D organizations establishing prototype manufacturing pipelines
- Government program managers overseeing NDAA-compliant UAS production contracts
Prerequisites: None required. Experience with UAS operations or acquisition is helpful but not required.
Training Approach
Instruction delivered by Forge & Flight manufacturing practitioners — personnel who design, build, and validate production UAS at our facility. Case studies drawn from real production experience. Students conduct facility planning exercises, develop supply chain qualification criteria, and build a draft manufacturing implementation plan for their organization.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion, participants can:
- Define facility, tooling, and staffing requirements for a UAS manufacturing operation
- Develop a domestic supply chain strategy that satisfies NDAA Section 848 requirements
- Establish quality control and acceptance testing protocols for UAS production
- Model production costs and develop a realistic build rate vs. attrition analysis
- Create an implementation roadmap for standing up organic manufacturing capability
- Identify and mitigate key manufacturing risks before committing capital
Request Training Information
This course is available to DoD organizations only.
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Questions?
Email: [email protected]
Related Programs:
- FFF-601: Applied CFD for UAS Design - Aerodynamic design validation for manufactured platforms
- FFF-301: Additive Manufacturing for UAS Sustainment - Organic parts fabrication at the unit level
- FFI-401: UAS Manufacturing Facility & Adversary Capability Assessment - Assessing vendor manufacturing compliance
Course Details
| Duration | 5 days (40 contact hours) |
| Format | Facility-based (Fayetteville, NC) — includes tours of active production operations |
| Prerequisites | None. UAS operations or acquisition background helpful. |
| Target Audience | DoD program offices, unit leadership, logistics officers, R&D organizations |
| Access Restriction | DoD organizations only. |
| Scheduling | Contact us to schedule. Minimum 8 students per cohort. |
Ready to Schedule This Course?
Ready to Schedule This Course?
Available to DoD organizations only. We respond to all inquiries within 48 hours. DoD procurement accepted — CAGE 1A6J3, UEI YV8UNYJWZHV1, SAM active.