A battle-tested Ukrainian drone manufacturer is bringing its first U.S. production facility to North Carolina, creating 162 jobs and expanding the state’s growing role in military drone manufacturing.
Skyeton, Inc. has just announced plans to invest over $3.1 million in a 28,500-square-foot facility about two hours east of Charlotte. The site will serve as the company’s flagship U.S. manufacturing operation.
Skyeton is the American subsidiary of Skyeton Holdings, a Ukrainian company that builds unmanned aerial systems for defense and commercial use.
The company will design, engineer, manufacture, test and support its advanced composite drones at the new facility.
Its flagship Raybird drone has logged more than 350,000 combat flight hours during intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The expansion underscores Ukraine’s rise as a global leader in drone technology since Russia’s invasion, with years of battlefield experience accelerating innovation.
The project could also strengthen North Carolina’s military industry. The 82nd Airborne Division, headquartered at Fort Bragg, has increasingly integrated drones into training and combat operations.
Skyeton could receive a $500,000 performance-based grant from the state’s One North Carolina Fund. However, the company must first meet its job creation and investment goals before receiving any funding. Local governments must also provide matching support.
State leaders say the project will bring high-tech manufacturing jobs while reinforcing North Carolina’s position as a growing hub for aerospace and defense innovation.
