- November 16, 2025
Aura Aero executives and local elected officials and business leaders cut the ribbon on Wednesday, Oct. 29, for the company's new facility in Daytona Beach. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Drew McEwen, chief commercial officer for Aura Aero, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Aura Aero Chief of Staff Antoine Blin (right) speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Business leaders and elected officials attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University President P. Barry Butler speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Jérémy Caussade, president and co-founder of Aura Aero, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Howard Haug, chief investment officer for Space Florida, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Eric J. Soskin, senior advisor to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
J. Hyatt Brown, chair of the CEO Business Alliance, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Mike Goulian, INTEGRAL U.S. Ambassador, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Wilfried Dufaud, head of Airworthiness and co-founder of Aura Aero, speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
An INTEGRAL R - MSN003 aircraft was on display during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Aura Aero executives and local elected officials and business leaders cut the ribbon on Wednesday, Oct. 29, for the company's new facility in Daytona Beach. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
French aircraft design and manufacturing company Aura Aero celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. headquarters in Daytona Beach on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
The headquarters and production site occupy an 11,000-square-foot facility at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Research Park. This marks the first of two Florida production sites for the company. The Daytona Beach campus will host the North American Delivery and Customer Support Center for its INTEGRAL program, with the initial production line building two-seater, aerobatic-capable training aircraft, a press release stated.
Wednesday's celebration was a show of Aura Aero's commitment to "innovation, sustainability and the strong transatlantic partners between France and the United States," said Drew McEwen, chief commercial officer for Aura Aero.
"Daytona Beach offers something truly unique," McEwen said. "A community where education, research and industry converge. Between Embry-Riddle's world-renowned aeronautical programs, Space Florida's investment in innovations and the state's support for advanced manufacturing, this region is ideal for our home and our next chapter."
It's not just an investment in technology, McEwen added.
"It's also an investment in the people, in the community and in the belief that the future of sustainable flight can be built on both sides of the Atlantic."
Aura Aero was founded in 2018 and is based at France's Toulouse-Francazal airport. It employs about 250 people.
The company aims to create over 1,000 jobs in the Daytona Beach area at its new campus.
“Florida has long been a leader in aeronautics and space, and the technical expertise of its workforce is a tremendous asset in asserting our leadership in the electric and hybrid-electric aviation sectors,” said Jérémy Caussade, president and co-founder of Aura Aero. “The State of Florida, Space Florida and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have always believed in us and supported us from the beginning in this project, which is now coming to fruition.”
Crossing the Atlantic was a defining step for Aura Aero, said Chief of Staff Antoine Blin. Daytona Beach was the right choice, he said, crediting the presence of the existing aeronautical industry and business community.
"So today we're celebrating more than just a building," Blin said. "We're celebrating a community that made the success possible and helped lay the foundation for a promising future."
According to the company's press release, Aura Aero plans to open a 500,000-square-foot
assembly line in 2028 for its 19-seater aircraft ERA, aiming to be the first in the world to manufacture a hybrid-electric regional aircraft.
Philanthropist and businessman J. Hyatt Brown, chair of the CEO Business Alliance, said that his first meeting with Aura Aero executives lasted about two hours.
"I came to realize that these guys are for real," Brown said. "Not only are they for real, but they bring to us in this county another level of economic development."
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by local elected officials and community leaders, including Florida Rep. Bill Partington, State Sen. Tom Wright, Volusia County Councilmen Matt Reinhart and Jake Johansson and ERAU President P. Barry Butler, who said that ceremony attendees were looking at the future of aviation.
As the university gears up to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Butler said the milestone gives them a chance to examine the past and plan for what comes next.
"There are a lot of different parts to the future of aviation and aerospace," Butler said. "Most of them are somewhere in this Research Park."
Aura Aero is "just one more piece to that puzzle," he said.
