Mayman Aerospace founder and chief executive selected for demonstrated excellence within the U.S. aerospace and defense sectors

David Mayman first came to the nation’s attention when he flew the world’s first operational jetpack around the Statue of Liberty in 2015, but the CEO and Founder of Mayman Aerospace has more pressing business these days: building autonomous, turbine-powered tactical air systems that the U.S. Department of War is betting on to solve for the gaps in modern contested environments. The work, based in Southern California, earned him recognition on the LA Times' 2026 Aerospace and Defense Visionaries list.

The recognition highlights those who have demonstrated leadership and growth for both their company and the broader aerospace and defense industries.

As the chief executive of Mayman Aerospace, David Mayman has guided the company as it establishes a novel class of aircraft: tVTOLs (turbine VTOLs), which are designed for missions where no runway exists, no charging infrastructure is available, and no delay is acceptable. Bringing decades of combined experience of piloting and propulsion, David has overseen the company’s technical success and aggressive growth, including more than 120 successful flight tests, two expansions of an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) with the U.S. Department of War, and, most recently, a 60% growth in organizational headcount.

"Who knew that what began as a teenager’s fascination would become a decade of experience in advanced propulsion and lead to helping the U.S. military and its allies maintain superiority in autonomous flight?" Mayman said. "I am humbled to have been recognized among an elite group of peers. I am equally grateful to our fast-moving team, who remain dedicated to equipping our warfighters with best-in-class solutions for modern contested environments."

The LA Times Business Visionaries list spotlights Southern California's top industry leaders, innovators, and executives. To learn more about the recognition, visit https://www.latimes.com/b2b/business-visionaries/aerospace-defense.

About Mayman Aerospace
Mayman Aerospace builds a family of autonomous tactical air systems for dual-use, multi-mission operations in the most demanding operational environments on Earth. Its flagship aircraft, the P100, is the world's only turbine-powered autonomous VTOL. Runway-independent and faster than any electric competitor, Mayman’s “tVTOL” aircraft combine jet turbine propulsion with autonomous vertical takeoff and landing to carry 100 pounds of payload from a 10-by-10-foot space, on the diesel and jet fuel already in the field, and in support of contested logistics, counter-UAS, ISR, and the launch and range extension of precision munitions. Mayman Aerospace is headquartered in Long Beach, California, and works with the US government on autonomous aviation for the most demanding operational environments in the world. For more information, visit maymanaerospace.com.

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