SCHROEPPEL, N.Y. — Blueflite, a provider of advanced drone-logistics products, has announced a strategic partnership with Think Variant, a firm described as a “high-precision manufacturing specialist,” to scale up production of its drones. Think Variant is based in southern Oswego County. Blueflite was the 2023 winner of the Genius NY competition at the Tech Garden […]
SCHROEPPEL, N.Y. — Blueflite, a provider of advanced drone-logistics products, has announced a strategic partnership with Think Variant, a firm described as a “high-precision manufacturing specialist,” to scale up production of its drones. Think Variant is based in southern Oswego County. Blueflite was the 2023 winner of the Genius NY competition at the Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse. The collaboration leverages Think Variant’s additive manufacturing techniques to “meet the growing demand” for high-performance drones in both the commercial and defense sectors, CenterState CEO said in announcing the collaboration. Production will begin this month at Think Variant’s facility in the town of Schroeppel “further cementing the region’s role as a center of excellence” for high-tech manufacturing. “By leveraging Think Variant’s expertise in additive manufacturing and mass production, blueflite will meet the industry’s growing need for efficient, high-quality drone manufacturing that satisfies strict aerospace standards,” Frank Noppel, CEO of blueflite said in the CenterState CEO announcement. “Our collaboration aims to bring cutting-edge technology to the growing drone space that showcases the talent and capability found in New York state.” Blueflite is known for its drone platform designed specifically for logistics and delivery. Its drones include a patented design capable of vertical take-off and landing, long-range flights, and carrying payloads “ideal” for industries ranging from medical-supply deliveries to e-commerce and defense applications, per the CenterState CEO announcement. “Central New York is fast becoming a major hub for drone technology and advanced manufacturing,” Kara Jones, director of Genius NY, said in the announcement. “The collaboration between blueflite and Think Variant demonstrates the synergy between local innovation and global potential, and this is exactly the kind of partnership our program aims to foster.” “This partnership allows us to apply our expertise in high-precision manufacturing to an exciting and rapidly growing industry,” Scott Antonacci, CEO of Think Variant, said in the release. “The demand for scalable, high-performance drones is skyrocketing, and Central New York is at the forefront of meeting that challenge.”