Charlie Dean has 41 years’ experience in defense and the US defense industry. Joining AeroVironment in 2021 as the company’s Vice President for Global Business Development, Sales, and Marketing, Charlie is now focused on International Business for the company. Prior to joining AeroVironment, Charlie served as a vice president at Teledyne FLIR Systems and Endeavor Robotics, leading the global sales of unmanned aerial and ground robotic systems. Charlie also held multiple positions over many years at QinetiQ North America related to ground robotics, in time leading the business development and sales team, product management team, co-led the engineering team, and served as a senior program manager. He also led business development activities at Draper Laboratory and TIAX where he served as an executive vice president.

Prior to joining the defense industry in 2005, Charlie completed a successful 22-year career in the U.S. Army as an Infantry officer and served as a paratroop small unit leader and staff officer in the 82nd Airborne Division, mechanized Infantry commander and staff officer in the 8th Infantry Division stationed in West Germany, and an acquisition professional focused on Infantry weapons. Charlie participated in close combat actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, plus other US Army missions around the world.

Charlie earned a Bachelor of Science degree from West Point in Aeronautical Engineering, a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and graduated from Phillips Academy (Andover). He taught Mechanical Engineering courses at West Point (1993-1996) while also coaching Army Men’s Rowing to a Silver Medal win in national races, and conducting ground-breaking, high temperature research for PM Crusader on 155mm cannon-projectiles. In addition, while in the Army and in industry, Charlie earned multiple patents, including personally designing in his off time while teaching at West Point, the cannon fired 155mm “Savage” Resupply Projectile following logistics delivery issues during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.