Draper Appoints Michael Fieldson as Special Operations Forces Associate Director

CAMBRIDGE, MA—Draper has appointed Michael Fieldson as the company’s new Special Operations Forces Associate Director. 

At Draper, Fieldson will serve as a member of the company’s business and engineering leadership to identify Special Operations Forces’ needs, conceive technical solutions, lead proposal development efforts and capture opportunities with the SOF community. He will also be responsible for the execution of these programs, with the goal of providing U.S. Special Operations Forces with a technical advantage. 

Fieldson has 13 years of SOF leadership experience at the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), having held program management positions in several Program Executive Offices (PEO), including PEO Fixed Wing, PEO SOF Warrior and the Science & Technology Directorate. His most recent position was as the Director of Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AISR) in PEO Fixed Wing.  

Fieldson received his Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Florida and served as program manager at the Special Operations Command. While at SOCOM, Fieldson was involved in the development of extended-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles and an armored suit for warfighters called the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS). Prior to joining SOCOM he worked at Battelle Memorial Institute as a principal research scientist. 

Darryl Sargent, Draper’s Vice President of National Security & Space Systems, describes Fieldson as bringing “extensive experience in working with the Special Operations Forces community and suppliers of defense technology and equipment. His vision, energy and expertise will lead to new opportunities for Draper as he works closely with our engineering staff in serving our customers.”

Fieldson will serve in Draper’s St. Petersburg, Fla., office. Charles Arant, who currently serves as acting SOF lead, has been appointed Fieldson’s deputy and will continue to manage the day to day operations of Draper’s Rapid Prototyping Center in St. Petersburg.