Otto Aerospace has appointed Scott Drennan as president and CEO, succeeding Paul Touw, as the Fort Worth, Texas company transitions from design to execution on its Phantom 3500 laminar flow business jet.
Drennan, who served as president and chief operating officer, led the successful completion of the Phantom 3500’s preliminary design review (PDR) in February and oversaw recent independent test flights of Otto’s laminar flow drone, built in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Those flights demonstrated the real-world application of Otto’s laminar flow technology.
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 as chief R&D officer and founding member at Supernal, Hyundai’s aerospace division.
Board chair Dennis Muilenburg said the appointment reflects the company’s shift from conceptual development to the build and certification phase. “Now, as our company transitions from conceptual design to building and flying aircraft, Scott is exactly the right leader for our next chapter,” Muilenburg said.
Outgoing CEO Touw, who has led the company 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 applies laminar flow aerodynamics to reduce the energy required for flight. Otto Aerospace said the program also has potential applications in defense uncrewed aerial systems.
