Mississippi is making history in the aerospace sphere. Major aerospace company Skydweller Aero opened its flight test and aircraft modification facility at Stennis International Airport in Hancock County.
Monday’s grand opening not only marked a major milestone for Stennis International Airport but also unveiled Skydweller, the nation’s only large unmanned solar-powered aircraft capable of perpetual flight. Skydwellers are unmanned solar-powered aircraft, each with a wingspan greater than a 747, that can stay aloft for months at a time with zero carbon footprint.
“We came here because of the opportunities. Being here allows us to support our customer at U.S. Southern Command, allowing us to fly over the Gulf of Mexico and down to the Caribbean,” Robert Miller, Skydweller Aero CEO, said. “We also appreciate the business–friendly environment here. The local leadership, state leadership, and federal leadership here in Mississippi are really supportive. They make it a great place to be.”
Skydweller Aero brings a type of technology that is completely new to the Gulf Coast and is the only one of its kind in the country. It is also widely believed that this technology will attract new and varied technology-based industries to Mississippi.
Mississippi is doing things not happening anywhere else in the world. Today, we celebrated Skydweller Aero for opening their state-of-the-art facility and rolling out their industry-defining aircraft in Hancock County!
The future of aerospace technology is being built in… pic.twitter.com/PEoVVxkDki
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 25, 2024
This highly anticipated aircraft is expected to both bring jobs to South Mississippi and also draw related companies and jobs to the Gulf Coast.
“It’s going to showcase who we are in South Mississippi. It’s going to show the people that Mississippi, although we get hung with a bad rap, some for being last,” U.S. Congressman Mike Ezell said. “We’re first here today, and we’re going to show this, and we’re going to fight for this, and we’re going to continue to support this.”
Skydweller is currently immersed in various capability and testing missions with the goal of an unmanned, uncrewed flight in the near future.
