Ascent AeroSystems
Established
in 2014, Ascent AeroSystems has grown to become the
global leader in the design and manufacturing of compact all weather
coaxial UAVs serving the commercial, industrial, public safety and
defense industries. Located in Wilmington, MA, the company’s primary
markets include the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany,
Israel, Jamaica, Singapore, South Korea and United Kingdom.
The company began exporting in 2018 and first received support from the Massachusetts Export Center in 2020. The Export Center assisted Ascent AeroSystems with a variety of export-related issues including export regulatory compliance, export operational concerns, shipping and logistics. Specific transactional assistance included international shipments and hand carries of demonstration equipment, identifying related license exemptions and requirements for use of the exemptions; export documentation requirements for successful transactions of repaired and returned items; guidance for requesting an export license through SNAP-R; review of AES entries, guidance on updating these records and for submitting EEI for future shipments; advising on manners to facilitate the release of the goods, and more.
The Massachusetts Export Center also provided customized in-house training to Ascent AeroSystems to support the company’s establishment of internal trade compliance, development of an Export Control Program (ECP) and Technology Control Program (TCP), and other related topics. Initial meetings also took place to discuss the company’s compliance practices in order to conduct an Export Compliance Risk Assessment, which is still forthcoming. The Export Center also provided guidance on eligible activities for the STEP Grant, which the company was awarded in 2021.
Recent conversations with Ascent AeroSystems have focused on their new Helius UAV which will begin shipping in Q4 2025. In preparation for the company to sell Helius into new markets, the Massachusetts Export Center will research CE Mark and other certifications, registrations and regulations required for the product to be sold across international markets. With potential buyers already expressing interest in Helius, the company expects to rapidly accelerate production volumes in order to meet the growing demand for Helius UAVs in the next year.
Since becoming a client with the Massachusetts Export Center in
2020, Ascent AeroSystems has grown its business internationally with
initial export sales across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia
and the UK. The company sells through a growing base of
international distributors and has grown from 10 employees to more
than 30 since its initial contact with the Export Center. The
Massachusetts Export Center looks forward to continuing its work
with Ascent AeroSystems to help the company expand on its success in
global markets.
