AeroFly's mission is to bring the vast capabilities of heavy-lifting electric UAS at the service of our customers. Our line of aircraft will serve a variety of needs, from crop spraying or package delivery to human transportation.
We are taking on the Moon!
AeroFly has been awarded a NASA SBIR contract
AeroFly is performing a feasibility study on an advanced modular conveyor system of lunar regolith which addresses the difficulties of handling abrasive lunar dust. This modular system is engineered to autonomously adjust, allowing it to efficiently support a range of missions and operations across different lunar landscapes, such as in-situ sampling and composition analysis. Although its primary focus is on lunar applications, this technology also has significant potential for terrestrial industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and mining, where effective and versatile material handling is essential.
..............
The Team
Gordon Niva, PhD
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and
Chief System Engineer (CSE).
Dr. Niva, a former Boeing executive, has nearly four decades of experience in ICBM and missile defense system engineering and was instrumental in managing advanced technology R&D and business ventures generating billions in revenue. He is also the CEO/CTO of mySmartHome, an IoT company specializing in innovative sensor technology, which he and his wife Susan founded in 2012. The company became profitable within three years.
Dr. Niva serves as an independent consultant, a member of SDSU's Entrepreneurial Advisory Board, and a mentor to young entrepreneurs. He holds degrees in Engineering Physics, Chemistry, and a PhD in Astrophysics. An SDSU Distinguished Engineer, he retired as a Colonel after 30 years in the Army National Guard. Gordon and Susan are avid runners and trekkers, completing 39 consecutive Los Angeles Marathons, climbing Kilimanjaro and trekking Patagonia.
Marco Ciarcià, PhD
Founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO).
Dr. Ciarcià is an Associate Professor at Colorado State University, specializing in UAS, robotics, and spacecraft guidance. He earned an MS in Aerospace Engineering from Università degli Studi di Palermo and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Rice University. From 2010 to 2015, he was a National Research Council Fellow, contributing to Air Force-sponsored spacecraft proximity maneuver projects.
Dr. Ciarcià has taught various engineering courses and advised numerous capstone projects focused on electric multirotors. Since 2020, he has been a member of the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Technical Committee. He secured NASA and Space Grant funding for multirotor human transportation research.
Todd Letcher, PhD
Founder and Chief Designer (CD).
Dr. Letcher, an Associate Professor at SDSU, focuses on additive manufacturing, experimental mechanics, and design thinking. After earning his BS at SDSU and completing his MS and PhD at The Ohio State University, he joined SDSU's faculty in 2012.
He teaches design-centric courses, overseeing 40-50 student projects annually, and is Associate Director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium. Dr. Letcher has led aerospace projects, including NASA challenges, securing $115,000 in prize money with ongoing successes.