French aircraft manufacturer AURA AERO has opened its first U.S. production site at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Research Park in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 11,000-square-foot facility will serve as the company’s U.S. headquarters and host the North American Delivery and Customer Support Center for the INTEGRAL program. The site will also lay the groundwork for future assembly of the company’s 19-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft, ERA. According to Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly, the project is expected to create more than a thousand jobs in the state’s Space Coast region.
Initial production will focus on the INTEGRAL family of two-seat, aerobatic-capable training aircraft, first powered by a Lycoming piston engine and later offered in a fully electric configuration. The aircraft, recently certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and undergoing FAA certification, targets the growing U.S. flight training market.
“Florida has long been a leader in aeronautics and space, and the technical expertise of its workforce is a tremendous asset,” said AURA AERO president and co-founder Jérémy Caussade.
By 2028, AURA AERO plans to expand with a 500,000-square-foot assembly line for the ERA, aiming to help position the U.S. as a major center for hybrid-electric regional aircraft production. The company reports over 650 letters of intent for the ERA, valued at more than $10.5 billion, with U.S. customers representing roughly one-third of current orders.
“AURA AERO’s investment is another example of how Florida continues to lead the way in aerospace growth and innovation,” said Space Florida Board Chair Jeanette Nuñez.
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