10 AeroVironment engineering leaders
Vice President and Chief Technologist, Senior Director of Engineering, Director of Engineering - Space Technologies and Director of Software Engineering are among the roles held by these ten AeroVironment engineering leaders. A reader can learn how engineering leaders work at AeroVironment from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Chris Ironhill
LinkedInExperience: Product Engineering Support Director · Aerovironment Inc
Chris Ironhill has been Product Engineering Support Director at Aerovironment Inc in Simi Valley, California since April 2026, leading product engineering support services including design and drafting, configuration management, data management and test equipment engineering. At AV Chris Ironhill was Systems Engineering Manager from 2023 to 2026 and New Product Integration Manager from 2020 to 2023.
David Liu
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Engineering, Robotics · AV
David Liu has been Senior Director of Engineering, Robotics at AV since January 2026 and lists Director of Engineering, Robotics at AV from 2023. At Meta David Liu was Senior Software Engineering Manager, Smart Glasses (2021–2023), Software Engineering Manager, Analytics & Optimization (2018–2021) and Engineering Lead and Manager, Free-Space Optical Communication (2014–2021).
David Mayhew
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Engineering · AV
David Mayhew has been Senior Director of Engineering at AV in Germantown, Maryland since May 2025 and was Senior Director of Engineering at BlueHalo, an AV company from 2023 to 2025. David Mayhew also lists a Principal Engineer role at Intelligent Automation, a BlueHalo Company starting in 1999, giving a reader a view of engineering at the BlueHalo businesses inside AV.
Elton Marchena
LinkedInExperience: Director of Technology, Systems · AV
Elton Marchena has been Director of Technology, Systems at AV in Bel Air, Maryland since May 2025 and held the same title at SR Technologies, a BlueHalo Company from 2022 to 2025. Elton Marchena was Systems Engineer, Senior Principal at Xander Government Solutions from 2020 to 2022 and at EOIR Technologies, Inc. from 2014 to 2020, and was Director of Process Engineering at Skorpios Technologies, Inc. in 2014.
Matt Purvis
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering - Space Technologies · AV
Matt Purvis has been Director of Engineering - Space Technologies at AV in Albuquerque, New Mexico since August 2026. At AV Matt Purvis was Senior Engineering Manager - Space Technologies from 2025 to 2026 and Senior Lead RF Engineer - Space RF Systems from 2022 to 2025, and was R&D Senior RF Engineer at Sandia National Laboratories from 2020 to 2022 and RF Design Engineer at Analog Devices from 2018 to 2020.
Nick Mansur
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Engineering · AV
Nick Mansur was Vice President of Engineering at AV from 2014 to 2017, Interim Vice President of Global Engineering & PMO at AV from 2021 to 2022 and Director Engineering, Efficient Energy Systems at AV from 2011 to 2014, and the headline describes Nick Mansur as retired. Nick Mansur was Director, C-17 Avionics, Flight Controls, Support Equipment at Boeing from 2008 to 2011.
Oliver B. Martin
LinkedInExperience: Director of Software Engineering · AV
Oliver B. Martin has been Director of Software Engineering at AV in San Diego since July 2026 and was Sr. Manager, Software and Controls at AV from 2022 to 2026. Oliver B. Martin was Director of Product at Planck Aerosystems from 2018 to 2022 and Chief Systems Engineer and Hardware Manager at Brain Corp from 2014 to 2018, and lists autonomous and unmanned systems, GNC, robotics and computer vision as areas of work.
Scott Newbern
LinkedInExperience: Vice President and Chief Technologist · AV
Scott Newbern has been Vice President and Chief Technologist at AV in California since May 2025 and was Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at AV from 2018 to 2025. At AV Scott Newbern was also Vice President - UAS - MacCready Works from 2016 to 2018, Vice President SUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) from 2013 to 2016 and Director SUAS from 2010 to 2013.
Steven Berger
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering, C5ISR and Space Control · AV
Steven Berger has been Director of Engineering, C5ISR and Space Control at AV in Huntsville, Alabama since May 2025 and was Director of C5ISR at BlueHalo, an AV company from 2023 to 2025. Steven Berger was Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence at United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command from 2018 to 2023 and Commander- Area Support Group-Kuwait in the US Army from 2017 to 2018.
Xiaoliang Zhao
LinkedInExperience: Director, Transportation and Sustainment Engineering · AV
Xiaoliang Zhao has been Director, Transportation and Sustainment Engineering at AV in Germantown, Maryland since May 2025 and lists Director, Advanced Transportation and Sustainment Department at BlueHalo, an AV company from 2021. At Intelligent Automation, a BlueHalo Company Xiaoliang Zhao was Director, Transportation and NDE from 2019 to 2021 and Associate Director, NDE/SHM and Intelligent Transportation from 2016 to 2019.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's engineering area, whether unmanned aircraft, robotics, space technologies, software, C5ISR or product engineering support, to the decision you face. Check each role's dates to see whether it is current.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current engineering role?
- 02How do you balance new technology work against delivery commitments to defense customers?
- 03What have you learned about bringing together engineers with different technical backgrounds?
Reaching AeroVironment engineering leaders
How can I contact one of these AeroVironment engineering leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 2 companies: Aerovironment Inc and AV, based on profile data retrieved on October 19, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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