Building Helicopters in California: How Robinson Beats the Odds

Robinson Helicopter Company defies the prevailing narrative that heavy industrial manufacturing cannot scale inside highly regulated, high-cost states like California. But how does Robinson do it? Operating from its massive facility in Torrance, CA, Robinson utilizes highly sophisticated automation, custom-built machinery, and dense manufacturing cells to build world-class aircraft at scale. From the precision of an automated nut machine and drive shaft gun drilling to the final assembly line and production flight testing, we trace the economic and operational efficiencies that allow an aviation giant to anchor its global supply footprint firmly in Southern California. Featuring insights from Robinson President and CEO David Smith.