About
William ("Bill") Irby served as President of AgEagle from February 15, 2024 through April 15, 2024 and has served as Chief Executive Officer and a director since April 15, 2024. He has a long career spanning several executive roles in innovative defense organizations, including unmanned aircraft systems at Textron Systems, L3Harris Technologies and Northrop Grumman.
Before joining the defense industry, Mr. Irby served as a combat engineer in the United States Marine Corps. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Master of Science in Technical Management from Johns Hopkins University, and an Executive Certificate in the General Manager Program at Harvard Business School.
Roles
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.
Chief Executive Officer and Director · Current role
April 2024–present
MTI Motion (a Steel Partners company)
President · Motors and hardware for aircraft, weapons systems and commercial equipment
Nov 2022 – Feb 2024
Martin UAV
Chief Operating Officer · Assisted in its acquisition by Shield AI
Mar 2021 – Dec 2021
L3Harris Technologies
President, Reconnaissance Mission Systems sector
Oct 2018 – Feb 2021
Textron Systems
SVP/GM, Unmanned Systems business
Nov 2012 – Oct 2018
Northrop Grumman
Vice President (two business units, ISR and Tactical Communications)
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United States Marine Corps
Combat engineer
—
MTI Motion / Steel Partners Holdings L.P.
President · Diversified global holding company
—
Martin UAS business (VBAT), post-Shield AI acquisition
President
—
L3Harris Technologies
Director, Reconnaissance Mission Systems division
—
Northrop Grumman
Vice President
—
External Roles
Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
Board member; completed elected term as Chairman in 2025 (previously Executive Vice Chair and Treasurer)
since Apr 2015
Ghost Robotics
Advisory board member
—
Secmation
Advisory board member
—
LaunchPoint EPS
Advisory board member
—
Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
Chairman / board member
—
Ghost Robotics
Board member
—
LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions
Board member
—
Fixed Compensation
FY 2025
All other compensation
$29,017
Total compensation
$574,904
Performance Compensation
Data from FY 2025
Cash incentive
Stock awards
Also at AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.