Swindon factory making drone parts opens after 87-day build

The precision engineering factory, set up on Paddington Drive in just 87 days, is already shipping parts for the aerospace, defence, and robotics sectors.

It is part of a growing network run by Isembard, a London-based manufacturer founded in 2024.

Jonathon Griffiths, a former Army officer who also led Amazon’s operations in Swindon, owns and runs the site as a franchise.

He said: "In the Army, my job was to make sure that when soldiers needed their vehicles and equipment, it worked.

"An army is only as good as the kit behind it, and that kit has to come from somewhere.

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"I’ve spent the last few years working alongside people in this town, and with Isembard’s technology behind us, a small team here can make parts for the companies building the drones and systems that will keep this country safe.

"I want this to be a factory where people in Swindon can learn a trade and stay for the long term."

Isembard supplies orders, software, training, and quality accreditation to its franchisees.

Its computer-controlled cutting machines are capable of producing components accurate to within a tenth of the thickness of a sheet of paper.

Production is managed through Isembard’s proprietary software.

The 5,050 sq ft site was secured with the help of Swindon North MP Will Stone, who chairs the Cross-Party Group to Strengthen the UK Defence Supply Chain.

After visiting Isembard’s London headquarters earlier this year, Mr Stone supported the company’s search for a site in Swindon and introduced Mr Griffiths to the estate agent marketing the property.

Swindon was chosen for its rich manufacturing heritage and growing reputation as a hub for defence technology.

It is the latest in a network of 17 Isembard sites across the UK, Europe, and the US.

The company aims to reach 100 UK factories by the end of 2028, creating 2,200 high-skilled jobs.

Found and CEO, Alexander Fitzgerald, said: "With generations of engineering skill and a growing defence and drone industry on its doorstep, Swindon was the obvious choice for our next factory.

"Jonathon has spent his career making sure critical equipment is ready for the people who depend on it, and he already knows the local workforce from leading teams here at Amazon.

"That’s exactly who we want running our factories.

"Our franchise model opens factory ownership to a new generation of operators, and we want to find more of them in every town and city."

The new factory is currently recruiting three machinists and programmers.

Mr Griffiths trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 2015.

He led a platoon responsible for 20 vehicles and later trained recruits before leaving the Army in 2018.

In 2024, he moved to Swindon as a senior manager, working within one of Amazon’s largest European operations.

Will Stone MP said: "Swindon’s drone and defence cluster is bringing new investment and jobs to our town, and it's great to see a local business owner at the heart of it.

"As a former soldier myself, I know how much service leavers have to offer, and this factory gives them and other local workers a route into highly skilled manufacturing.

"Backing businesses like this is how we grow the local economy and give Swindon’s engineering heritage a strong future."

Heidi Alexander MP, Member of Parliament for Swindon South. said: "Swindon has always been a town that makes things, from Great Western Railway locomotives to Spitfires and cars.

"When Honda left in 2021, people worried those skills would leave with it. This factory shows they are still here and still in demand.

"It means skilled local jobs, a locally owned business, and one more reason for defence and drone companies to grow in Swindon."