W Ray Morgan

Ray has worked as a consultant in aircraft and aerospace vehicle development and project management optimization since 2000. He specializes in HALE UAV development and teaching his management methods for creating productive, intrinsically-motivated teams to develop high-technology products. Prior to 2000, Ray was Vice President of AeroVironment, Inc., for which he founded the vehicle Design Development Center in 1980 and was its director for 20 years. Starting in 1969, Ray worked as an engineer/designer for the Lockheed-California Company for 11 years, developing commercial and military jet aircraft, including a stint in the famed Lockheed Skunkworks (developers of the U-2 and SR-71) on a classified program.

At AeroVironment, he led teams that developed over 50 unique vehicles during his tenure – three of which are now in the Smithsonian Institute. All eight solar aircraft altitude records recognized by the National Aeronautics Association through 1998 were held by his teams, and the Helios, the latest of the solar aircraft developed by his teams, set an absolute world altitude record for aircraft of over 96,800 feet in level flight in 2001. His teams have won awards from NASA, Defense Advanced Research Projects agency (DARPA), Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, and the UAV Joint Project Office (receiving the first Total Quality Management flag ever awarded to a UAV prime contractor by the Cruise Missile Agency). Ray himself received the Aviation Week Laurel Award in 1995, and in 1997 received the NASA Public Service Award and was inducted into the Aviation Week Hall of Fame, and holds multiple patents in aircraft, propulsion, communication, and space-launch systems.

Ray now serves as Chief Engineer for the DARPA Tactical Technology Office Tern program, working to develop a Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) UAV capable of operating (in pairs) from small, Littoral Class Ships (LCS) and providing continuous ISR presence over a target 600 miles away. Ray previously served as the Chief Engineer for the DARPA Vulture program (long-endurance, solar-powered, high-altitude, unmanned aircraft), and has served as a subject matter expert for DARPA, NASA, and other high-tech companies and agencies. He was a member of the NASA Independent Review Group (IRG) for Vehicle Systems (VS) – receiving its First Annual Vehicle Systems Award for his contributions. Morgan served as a resource for the NASA Academy of Program and Project Leadership (APPL) Masters Forums and was a contributing editor to the ASK magazine for project management excellence for three years. He also has been involved in review of space launch programs both for DARPA and the US Air Force, and has conducted feasibility studies of alternative launch systems for NASA.

Ray resides in Simi Valley, CA, with his wife. He has two daughters and five grandchildren. He is a graduate of NC State University, and has studied the Deming theory of management at the UCLA Anderson School of Business. He is a member of multiple professional organizations, including a lifetime member of the American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA). He is experienced in flying hang gliders, ultra-light aircraft (including several of his own design), and general aviation aircraft. In his spare time, he enjoys playing with his grandchildren and sailing.