Team | Advanced Aircraft Company

Leadership Team

Aaron FrankCEO & Co-Founder

Aaron Frank is a technology entrepreneur and strategic leader with a proven track record of building disruptive businesses in robotics, autonomous systems, and logistics. With over a decade of experience driving innovation in emerging markets, Aaron specializes in transforming complex technologies into scalable platforms that unlock new business models.

As CEO and Co-Founder of Deliver-EZ, Aaron pioneered a Logistics-as-a-Service model designed as an “airport” for autonomous delivery vehicles—creating infrastructure for the future of last-mile delivery. Prior to Deliver-EZ, he led a Silicon Valley drone delivery company with proprietary systems for multi-format package handling and software driven orchestration of ecosystem assets, positioning the business at the forefront of aerial logistics. At a funded startup, Aaron spearheaded international joint ventures and directed UAS solutions, including the design of a prototype drone services platform for Airbus, enabling monetization of data streams and integration with next-generation air traffic management.

Before launching his startup career, Aaron concluded his corporate tenure at GE Capital, where he led balance sheet modeling and enterprise software implementation for global business units—developing a deep understanding of financial systems and operational scalability.

Earlier in his career, Aaron successfully navigated two small businesses through the 2008 financial crisis, achieving profitable exits. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and a B.S. in Finance from Colorado State University.

Aaron envisions building scalable, modular platforms that unify cutting-edge solutions, spark collaborative innovation, and accelerate the growth of high-value ecosystems in robotics and autonomous systems.

Bill FredericksCTO, Chairman, & Co-Founder

Bill Fredericks is an accomplished aircraft designer who has designed dozens of aircraft, 12 of which have achieved first flight. His two most notable designs are the NASA Greased Lightning and he performed the first conceptual design of what is now called the NASA X-57 Maxwell, a manned aircraft. Fredericks was a valued Aeronautical Engineer while employed at the NASA Langley Research Center in the Aeronautics Systems Analysis Branch. He is the lead inventor on the Greased Lightning patent and led the project from its conceptual design through its successful flight testing.

Bill Fredericks graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He is also a former artillery officer in the United States Marine Corps. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 with a rocket artillery battery (HIMARS).

Advisors

Darcy DavidsonAdvisor

• Darcy brings over 20 years of software development experience across both commercial and defense industries. His expertise spans UAS C2 systems for the US Navy and Marine Corps, commercial disaster response systems, wildland fireline monitoring systems, and Army weather sensor systems.

• As a results-driven servant leader, Darcy excels at building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. A passionate and innovative thinker, Darcy is an imagineer and creator, adept at designing and aligning product architectures and roadmaps with company growth strategies.

• He is presently part of Ford’s Model E software strategy team, focused on building the software tools, architecture, and methodologies needed to create the world’s best automotive digital platform.

• Prior to joining Ford, Darcy spent 15 years at Insitu, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing, leading the development of the UAS ground control station and aircraft software systems. Darcy served as both a Principal and Chief Engineer responsible for the company’s 3-year software roadmap, architecture, and software assurance. He led teams at Insitu as a Senior Software Engineering Manager and ground control station Product Owner, delivering the ground control station for the RQ21A Blackjack.

• Darcy is a former Boeing Associate Technical Fellow, Boeing Engineer of the Year award recipient, and inventor of multiple patents, along with being a private pilot.

Rob McDonaldAdvisor

Dr. Rob McDonald consults with teams developing aircraft for transformative applications and missions. For over eleven years, he researched and taught aircraft design, aircraft performance, and multidisciplinary design optimization at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After leaving Cal Poly, Dr. McDonald led the in-house aircraft design team as Head of Vehicle Engineering for Uber Elevate. He is a technical expert in aircraft design and performance including eVTOL and conventional electric aircraft, and is the primary developer of OpenVSP, a popular modeling tool for conceptual aircraft design. Dr. McDonald is an Associate Fellow in AIAA, member of the AIAA Aircraft Design TC, founding member of the AIAA Transformational Flight IC, and a member of the Vertical Flight Society eVTOL TC. He received a M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Vice Admiral (retired) David ArchitzelAdvisor

A seasoned naval aviator, Architzel has accumulated over 5,000 flight hours, with 4,300 in the Viking S3 and the rest spread across 30 different aircraft types as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. At sea, he served as the executive officer on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and later commanded the USS Guam and USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Architzel’s decorations include two Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the Defense Superior Service Medal, four Legions of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal, and various service-related honours. He received the Spanish Naval Cross of Merit from King Juan Carlos of Spain, the Navy League’s John Paul Jones Leadership Award in 1998, and Iceland’s Knight of the Order of the Falcon.

A 1973 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Architzel holds a degree in mathematics.

Architzel serves as Chairman of the Board for University Technical Services and Senior Advisor to the Miller Group.

Matt RedfernAdvisor

Mr. Redfern was named President and CEO of Power Ten, Inc. by the Board of Directors January 1st, 2018. Before stepping into the role of President/CEO, Mr. Redfern served as the Director of Aviation Training Systems in addition to his role as Director of Power Ten, Inc.’s Services Department. Mr. Redfern is a former senior-level Marine Corps officer with over 30 years of extensive experience in aviation organizational and program management. He served as the subject matter expert and principal advisor to the Commander of Naval Air Forces on all Marine Aviation training, readiness, and budgetary issues. He has commanded and led medium-to-large aviation units and as the Chief of Staff of Third Marine Aircraft Wing (3D MAW) with over 16,000 personnel and 535 aircraft, he oversaw the training of three Aircraft Carrier squadron deployments, eight squadron deployments to Japan, seven Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments, and the deployment of one-third of the Wing assets and over 5000 personnel to Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as the Chief of Staff for 3D MAW(Fwd) in Al ASad, Iraq, where he supervised the combat operations, personnel and maintenance readiness for the F/A-18, AV-8B, KC-130, CH-53E, CH-46, UH-1N, AH-1W, RQ-7B Shadow and Scan Eagle UAS aircraft. During his career, he served as the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Aviation Combat Element Commander, a Program Manager, Operational Test Director, Presidential Helicopter Pilot, Quality Assurance Officer, and a Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One Division Head and Instructor Pilot. Program Management Level I Certified from the Defense Acquisition University, he is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College, the Marine Corps University Command and Staff College and Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Michael D. Folgate Advisor

Mr. Michael D. Folgate – A senior executive with strong analytical and communication skills, he is widely recognized for his ability to lead, mentor, develop and drive large organizations to success on limited budgets and resources. During the last 30 years, he served in senior leadership positions within the military and oversaw business development efforts within industry that focuses on the broader Department of Defense.

• For the last four years, he was the Business Development Executive of Marine Corps programs for Insitu, Inc. He led all corporate Marine Corps Business Development efforts, maintaining and developing trusted partner relationships within Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation, UAS Program and Capability Development leadership teams and liaison with fleet commanders. He also worked closely with Boeing Defense Directors and Autonomous Systems executives to incorporate Insitu products into Boeing opportunities.

• Encompassing the last ten years as a Power Ten executive, he supported Insitu in the areas of analysis, proposal capture and business development, specifically advising executive leadership, Program Directors and VP staffs throughout the development and management of the USMC RQ-21 Blackjack Program. He led both competition and strategy teams and teamed in proposal efforts which resulted in the capture of numerous major contracts and awards. He is a Subject Matter Expert within the Unmanned Aerial Systems industry with a focus on developing strategies to win business and bring the best support possible to military customers.

• Prior to transitioning from the Marine Corps to industry, Mr. Folgate had a 20 year distinguished career in aviation as an F/A 18D Weapons Systems Officer. Highlights of his military career included command of a Marine Fighter Attack Squadron, Chief of Staff of a Marine Air Group, squadron Executive and Operations Officer assignments. He has developed an international perspective having deployed worldwide for durations up to a year more than ten times throughout his career and globally amassed 3500 F/A 18 flight hours, which included five combat tours.

Mr. Folgate is a graduate of the Marine Corps’ Command and Staff College; graduate of the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School of Aviation Safety; Program Management Level I Certified from the Defense Acquisition University; certified as a Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute; United States Marine Corps Lean Six Sigma – Green Belt Trained. Mr. Folgate earned a BS in Mathematics Education from Oregon State University.

Paul AllenAdvisor

Paul has been a leader in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry since 2009. Most of his focus has been on top line growth for Insitu, Inc. (a Boeing subsidiary), Iris Automation, and, most recently, AgEagle. Paul has vast UAS experience with Defense customers in all branches of the The United States military as well as with many of our allies around the world. Along with the extensive defense experience Paul also has years of experience working with enterprise UAS end-users including companies like ConocoPhillips and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. A key driver to Paul’s commercial successes has been his efforts in shaping the UAS regulatory environment: he led the team that earned the first UAS Type Certification (14 CFR 21.25) on a Group II UAS, with one of those UAS now residing in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.