Laconia-based drone manufacturer leveraging automation to compete with overseas production

LACONIA — In aviation, some of the biggest opportunities are found on the small scale.

Demand for uncrewed aerial vehicles — commonly called drones — is continuing to climb. Forecasts, such as one produced by Mordor Intelligence, call for the UAV propulsion systems market to increase to $8.67 billion by 2030, an annual growth rate of 5.84%.

Drones are now widely adopted in a broad range of applications, from agriculture to real estate, from public safety to warfare. Despite such a diversity of uses, nearly all of those machines have come from the same place: China. A Lakes Region-based company believes it is positioned to be the West’s alternative supplier of electric propulsion for uncrewed vehicles.

That company is ePropelled, founded in 2018 by Nick Grewal, who currently serves as chief executive officer.

In a telephone interview last week, Grewal said he believes his production facility on Lexington Drive can go toe-to-toe with competitors overseas.

“We are going to be doing a high rate of production there, and try to meet or beat the standard set by the Chinese in drone production,” Grewal said.

While Chinese manufacturers make use of inexpensive labor to power their production, Grewal said ePropelled plans to compete through automation.

“We are putting in a lot of automation,” Grewal said. “They employ literally hundreds of people to do it, we can’t afford to do that.”

But automation comes with its own advantages, specifically speed.

“They can build a motor in two or three minutes. We want to try to do it in less than 60 seconds,” Grewal said.

Since late 2023, ePropelled has been manufacturing and shipping motors small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, yet strong enough to serve a wide range of uses.

There are currently three lines of motors in the ePropelled catalogue. The smallest is the Sparrow series, designed to offer power and long flight times in a smaller and lighter package. The Falcon series is aimed at larger drones, and the Hercules line larger yet. Grewal said his company, which has engineering hubs in the United Kingdom and India, has created motors up to 110kw, or the equivalent power of 170 horsepower. Grewal said while the market is currently focused on aerial platforms, he sees growth potential for uncrewed vehicles on land — think autonomous tractors — or even in marine environments.

“This is all brand new, leading edge stuff,” Grewal said.

And as quickly as the industry’s technology changes, so too are political elements that shape the industry.

Tariffs on materials or products imported from China will make hobbyist or commercial drone users seeking alternatives to suppliers from overseas, Grewal noted, though he said those tariffs also raise production costs for him, as many of the raw materials they use are sourced from abroad. However, he also expects ePropelled to be a valuable option for purchasers doing business for, or with, the U.S. government.

“The U.S. and Department of Defense is mandating to manufacturers of drones that you will get these products sourced in the United States. You can’t rely on a third party, and have a conflict with that third party and expect that they will continue to supply you,” Grewal said. Yet, outside of ePropelled, he doesn’t know of anyone in the United States creating motors like his. “They really don’t have that much of an option.”

The company “did really well last year,” which was its first full year of production, and Grewal said he expects production to “accelerate” this year.

“I think that space can put out literally $100 million worth of product" annually, Grewal said.