UK-based counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology provider OpenWorks Engineering has officially established its United States footprint by opening a regional headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia. Building upon more than a decade of supporting the American market from abroad, the company is also advancing plans to open a dedicated manufacturing facility in Detroit, Michigan, before the end of 2026.
The strategic expansion reflects surging demand for advanced airspace defense solutions and underscores OpenWorks’ commitment to deepening its industrial ties within North America. The company specializes in developing sophisticated optical systems that allow military, security, and law enforcement operators to rapidly detect, track, and classify drones and other low-altitude airborne threats.
To spearhead this growth and oversee operations at the forthcoming Detroit facility, OpenWorks has appointed Chris Bigwood as the executive vice president for business development and corporate strategy in North America. Bigwood brings significant industry experience to the role, having previously served as the chief revenue officer at Clear Align. His leadership is expected to play a critical role as the company transitions a portion of its production capabilities directly onto American soil to better serve regional partners and government end-users.
Growth Drives US Expansion
The decision to establish a physical presence in the United States comes on the heels of remarkable commercial and operational growth for OpenWorks. The company reported that adoption of its specialized counter-drone products grew fourfold between 2025 and mid-2026. This surge in market demand has been accompanied by a dramatic scaling of internal production capabilities. Over the past year, OpenWorks achieved a 2.75-fold increase in production capacity for its flagship Vision Flex system, a modular surveillance and targeting platform engineered for flexible deployment across a wide variety of operational environments.
This commercial momentum has also fueled rapid internal scaling. OpenWorks revealed that its total workforce expanded significantly, growing from just 26 employees in 2024 to 125 personnel. Furthermore, the company has heavily reinvested its revenues back into technological innovation, directing more than $2.7 million toward research and development over the past year alone. This sustained focus on engineering excellence has allowed OpenWorks to continuously refine its hardware and software to keep pace with the rapidly evolving threat landscape posed by commercial and asymmetric drone technologies.
Deepening Industry Integration
Long before establishing its new Ashburn headquarters, OpenWorks built an established ecosystem of partnerships within the American defense and security sectors. The company already collaborates closely with several prominent US-based defense technology firms, including Echodyne, Epirus, Anduril Industries, and Fortem Technologies. These strategic integrations allow OpenWorks’ advanced optical tracking and classification systems to work seamlessly with complementary radar, radio frequency detection, and kinetic or non-kinetic neutralization technologies offered by its industry partners.
The utility of OpenWorks’ technology extends beyond traditional defense applications into domestic security and law enforcement. Demonstrating the widening trust in its systems, the company recently conducted specialized training sessions for Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operators, familiarizing them with the nuances and operational capabilities of OpenWorks’ counter-drone technology.
Company executives view the physical expansion into the United States as a natural evolution of its core mission. Chris Down, the chief executive officer of OpenWorks Engineering, emphasized the strategic importance of the move during the headquarters announcement.
"This expansion is a natural next step in our mission to continue to protect the territory and airspace of NATO Nations and their Allies," Down said. "As engineers-first, we are excited to have a physical location in a market that is so passionate about increasing homegrown manufacturing and engineering excellence. Over the last decade, we have fostered long-standing, trusted relationships with U.S. end-users, integrators and system partners. This headquarters is a milestone in furthering our commitment to them, and a growing range of customers with increasing demand for C-UAS and Air Defense capabilities."
While the Ashburn, Virginia regional headquarters is fully operational, the timeline for the Detroit manufacturing facility remains targeted for completion ahead of the 2026 year-end deadline, with active production lines expected to commence following the facility’s establishment.
