Otto Aerospace has appointed Scott Drennan as president and CEO, succeeding Paul Touw, as the Fort Worth-based company moves from design to execution on its Phantom 3500 laminar flow business jet.
Drennan, who served as president and COO, led the successful completion of the Phantom’s preliminary design review (PDR) in February and oversaw recent test flights of Otto’s advanced laminar flow drone, built in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
He previously served as vice president of innovation and advanced concepts at Bell Textron, where he was involved in a dozen commercial and military aircraft certification programs, and was chief R&D officer and founding member at Supernal, Hyundai’s aerospace division.
“Great companies are built in chapters, and Paul was exactly the leader we needed to guide Otto through its formative years,” said board chair Dennis Muilenburg. “Now, as our company transitions from conceptual design to building and flying aircraft, Scott is exactly the right leader for our next chapter.”
Touw, who has served as CEO since 2022, said: “Scott brings the technical depth, operational discipline and certification experience needed to carry Otto from breakthrough design to a certified, revolutionary production aircraft.”
Drennan said: “Our mission now is pure execution. We are focused on building this aircraft on time, without compromising quality, and with the discipline and intensity that a program of this consequence deserves.”
The Phantom 3500 is a clean-sheet design that uses laminar flow aerodynamics to reduce the energy required for flight. Otto Aerospace said the program also has applications in defense unmanned aerial systems.
