Reliable Robotics, a leader in autonomous aircraft systems, announced today the addition of Kevin Sagis as Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer. Sagis joins in a senior strategic and technical leadership role as the company accelerates its development program to certify its Remotely Operated Aircraft System. Sagis has over 30 years of design, development, manufacturing, test and operational experience for the commercial sector, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Department of Defense (DoD). He has successfully taken multiple programs to flight, including specially modified aircraft and space launch vehicles.
“Kevin is one of the most innovative technical leaders with an impressive record bringing complex mission-critical engineering programs from idea to reality across the space, aviation and defence sectors,” said Juerg Frefel, Co-founder and CTO at Reliable Robotics. “He also has deep experience building and fostering high performing teams which will support our continued growth.”
In his role at Reliable Robotics, Sagis will drive the engineering vision and execution for the company’s Remotely Operated Aircraft System. At Virgin Orbit, he served as Chief Engineer and Senior Vice President of Engineering, working with Sir Richard Branson to reimagine how a 747-400 carrier aircraft could be used to launch orbital rockets. As one of the original visionaries, he was instrumental in forming the team and the technology that built the foundation for taking the company public. He was responsible for architecting the integrated system from initial concept to multiple successful orbital flights, leading a team of several hundred engineers. He has deep expertise in aircraft systems and directed the structural, electrical and subsystems modification of the 747-400.
Prior to Virgin Orbit, Sagis was at Lockheed Martin as technical lead on multiple rocket and aircraft-related programs. He was the Chief Engineer for the homeland defence program that launched rockets from the cargo hold of a C-17, achieving 100 percent mission success within three years. Earlier Sagis founded and served as Chief Engineer at Paragon Labs where he led the design, deployment and manufacturing of a vertical takeoff, vertical landing vehicle using a liquid oxygen/ethanol regeneratively cooled propulsion system. Prior to that, he supported multiple commercial vehicles for Lockheed Martin, NASA advanced concept studies and flight design software for the Space Shuttle program.
“Aviation is ready for a revolution and remotely operated aircraft will be key to this new era in the industry,” said Sagis. “I’m excited to join former colleagues and an incredible team that has already made aviation history on the path to commercialization of remotely piloted systems.”
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