David Sharpin, former AeroVironment VP joins, Auterion as US General Manager to support growth in North America
Today, we are very excited to announce that David Sharpin, former VP of Sales and Business Development at US drone manufacturer AeroVironment, has joined Auterion as US General Manager. David will be driving Auterion’s operations and engagements with commercial customers and government agencies in the US.
David brings over 30 years of experience in UAS/Robotics business sectors to our team of already seasoned talent. As VP of the Tactical Business Unit at AeroVironment, Dave headed the P&L and a team of 250 people, serving government agencies across 46 countries, including the US. More recently Dave was the Vice President of Sales and Business Development driving profitable growth across a portfolio of Intelligent Robotic Systems within government and the commercial sectors.
We are thrilled to have him and pleased to share this Q&A about his background and role with Auterion.
- David, tell us more about yourself?
I was born and grew up in the United States Midwest. After my service in the U.S. Air Force, I studied Electrical Engineering, earning an MSEE. For the next 30 years of my career, I was privileged to hold a variety of positions as a Research Engineer, Systems Engineer, Program Manager, Director of Engineering, Director of Business/Product Development, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, and Business Unit Vice President and General Manager. In all these positions I have drawn on my lifelong passion for creating the new and different to solve real-world problems.
- What made you believe in the potential of Auterion?
My personal experience witnessing a development go from zero to a fully functioning prototype in 6 weeks and then on to customer demonstration through the use of the Auterion Enterprise PX4 platform. I was able to witness the talent, expertise, and passion of the Auterion people under the pressure of a real development effort.
- How do you think Auterion and open source standards will impact the US drone industry?
I believe that PX4 open source standards and the Auterion Enterprise PX4 platform will allow the US drone industry to take the next major step to meet the needs of both Commercial and Defense customers by allowing the industry to quickly innovate and add new capabilities, while at the same time providing these customers with the assurance that they have a safe, reliable and secure software infrastructure for the most demanding applications.
- How do you think your past experience at AeroVironment will be able to guide and shape Auterion?
I held two positions at AeroVironment Inc., a leader in the drone industry. I was the Vice President of the Tactical UAS Business Unit and the Vice President of Sales and Business Development. From the vantage point of both of these positions, I was able to listen to both Commercial and Defense customers explain the jobs they are trying to do with drones and what urgent requirements are not currently being met. Additionally, I have the experience of leading a P&L that was successful in both the Domestic U.S. and International market spaces. I look forward to bringing my experience and insights to setting up Auterion U.S.
- How is Auterion different from anything else that is out there?
I believe Auterion is positioned at the right place, the right time, with the right product, and definitely the right people. Auterion is a young company in name only. The expertise of the core team goes back over a decade. They have done the hard work to learn their craft, and the industry, and are in the process of applying their expertise. For both Commercial and Defense applications the Auterion Enterprise PX4 platform is a true enabler.
Thanks, David. Welcome to the team!
“Auterion Scales Amidst High Demand for Open-Source Commercial Drone Software Platform”.
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