Photo courtesy KRM: Hoverfly Leadership visits KRM's Gumi Motor and Electronic Speed Controller ( ESC ) factory. From left: Choi Young-mook, President of KRM; Michael Miranda, Vice President of Products & Services at Hoverfly Technologies; Steve Walters, President & CEO of Hoverfly Technologies; and Park Kwang-sik, CEO of KRM.
31 March 2026
Hoverfly Technologies, the preeminent name in persistent tethered unmanned aerial systems (UAS), today announced its strategic entry into the drone components industry.
Under the new Hoverfly Motors product line, the company is launching a suite of high-performance propulsion solutions "Powered by KRM." This partnership with Korea Robot Manufacturing (KRM) is designed to fortify the U.S. drone industrial base with mission-critical hardware that meets the uncompromising standards of the U.S. defense sector.
The launch of Hoverfly Motors represents the first wave of a major new strategic division within the company. While propulsion serves as the initial entry point, Hoverfly has signaled that this is part of a broader commitment to securing the domestic drone supply chain; additional critical drone components are slated for unveiling later this year at XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit.
A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
This announcement follows a high-level executive meeting held on March 18, 2026, at KRM's newly expanded Gumi factory in South Korea. Hoverfly President and CEO Steve Walters and VP of Products and Services Michael Miranda personally conducted an in-depth site review to finalize the next phase of the two companies' partnership.
The visit signals a qualitative shift in the relationship, moving beyond a standard supplier agreement toward deep supply chain integration. Discussions centered on U.S. market localization and local production lines to satisfy "Made in USA" requirements and tightening Department of War (DoW) domestic content regulations.
"This visit reinforced a truly strategic partnership that goes well beyond a supplier relationship," said Steve Walters, President & CEO of Hoverfly Technologies. "Demand for reliable, on-shored supply chains for drones in the U.S. defense market continues to grow, and our collaboration with KRM is the definitive answer to that need."
A MEASURED MISSION
The momentum behind Hoverfly Motors was palpable last week at XPONENTIAL Europe, where Hoverfly's newly appointed VP of Products and Services, Michael Miranda, reported overwhelming interest from global defense and industrial partners.
"The conversations we've had on the floor confirm a critical industry-wide gap for secure, high-capacity supply chains for defense and security drones. They need drone component providers that can operate independently of restricted foreign entities", said Miranda.
While the partnership is accelerating, both HTI and KRM maintain a disciplined approach to market entry. The two companies are currently refining robust supply and distribution frameworks and a comprehensive FCC certification strategy. This ongoing mission ensures that when these components reach the hands of end-users, they are not merely compliant, but game-changing products that redefine performance and security benchmarks.
INNOVATIVE PROPULSION SYSTEMS
The partnership, which began with KRM's $5 million strategic investment in Hoverfly's Series B round in October 2025, designates KRM as the Exclusive Manufacturer for Hoverfly's core propulsion components.
The "Hoverfly Motors — Powered by KRM" lineup features:
- • High-Performance BLDC Motors across 3 size classes: Stratus (large), Atlas (medium), and Pulse (small). The starting lineup across these classes are the BL8950, BL4416, BL4229, and BL2819 models.
- • Precision Control Electronics: ESC AIO (All-in-One) and ESC 1-Channel systems.
- • Mass Production Infrastructure: Backed by KRM's Gumi facility, which recently doubled production capacity to 300,000 units annually, with the infrastructure to scale to 500,000 units.
The procurement of these Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs) is particularly significant; as the components that dictate flight stability, their integration validates that KRM's control algorithms meet the rigorous cybersecurity and performance benchmarks of the U.S. military.
COMPLIANT DEFENSE-DRIVEN COMPONENTS
As the manufacturer of the only tethered UAS qualified for selection on the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List, Hoverfly brings a pedigree of trust to the component market. With over 600 systems delivered to the U.S. Army and steadfast NDAA compliance via the Green UAS pathway, Hoverfly's transition into components provides the broader industry with a "Blue-DNA" hardware alternative to restricted foreign technology.
"We are not exporting parts; we are transplanting our most advanced robotics DNA into the American defense ecosystem," added Kwang-sik Park, CEO of KRM. "By combining KRM's precision engineering with Hoverfly's operational excellence, we are building a permanent, trusted bridge for the next generation of secure UAS technology."
About Hoverfly Technologies
Hoverfly Technologies is a leading provider of tethered drone systems for defense and security. As a Blue UAS Cleared manufacturer, Hoverfly's technology enables 24/7 situational awareness and secure communications in the most demanding combat environments.
About Korea Robot Manufacturing (KRM)
Korea Robot Manufacturing (KRM) is a premier robotics engineering firm specializing in high-precision components. By providing trusted, non-Chinese supply chain solutions, KRM serves as the hardware backbone for advanced autonomous systems worldwide.
