Shorties Roundup: Alexandria’s Edgesource is launching a counter-drone company

Edgesource launches a public drone arm

Alexandria, Virginia-based Edgesource Corporation today launched EdgesourceX, a commercial counter small-unmanned aircraft systems capabilities provider. Designed to help with threats posed by drones, the new company debuts on the 25th anniversary of Edgesource.

Edgesource’s team developed technology that will help industries monitor drone activity, which it claims will help protect people, assets and businesses.

“With years of experience providing innovative and efficient solutions and services to the US government, we are now authorized to bring our Counter-sUAS solutions developed for the demands of the battlefield to the private sector,” said Chris Lansburgh, president of Edgesource, in a statement. “Drone purchases have skyrocketed, and organizations are grappling with the security risks, whether harm is intended or not. This technology will allow critical infrastructure, first responders, stadium officials and high-profile individuals, among others, to manage their risk and privacy while protecting their air space.”

The move comes soon after Edgesource acquired Ashburn, Virginia-based Auspex, a tech company providing data analytics and cybersecurity to the intelligence community.

Prince William County needs a new supervisor

Pete Candland, a Prince William County Supervisor, will resign from his post by the end of 2022.

Candland, who represents the Gainesville, Virginia area, announced his resignation on Saturday. The move is the latest update following Candland’s controversial involvement in a regional data center project. Candland joined up with hundreds of other landowners to sell land for the PW Digital Gateway data center project to developers.

Last month, he abstained from a vote regarding the project, but things changed with an opinion from Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth that he received on Saturday. The opinion said Candland could not vote on a plan update scheduled for today, nor should he participate in any votes on the project until a rezoning matter is settled.

In response, Candland wrote that he felt he could take part in the upcoming votes without prejudice, but that he would abide by Ashworth’s opinion.

“With her new opinion, my ability to serve on the Board of County Supervisors has been greatly diminished,” Candland wrote. “While I could continue as Supervisor in a more limited role and still get many positive things accomplished, I do not feel this would be in the best interests of the citizens of the Gainesville District.”

CarLotz completes merger with Shift

CarLotz, the Richmond, Virginia-based used vehicle marketplace, has completed its merger with California’s Shift Technologies, an auto e-commerce platform.

The combined company will trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol SFT, and CarLotz shareholders will receive approximately 0.705 shares of Shift common stock for each CarLotz share. Through the deal, Shift board members Jason Krikorian and Manish Patel resigned while Kimberly Sheehy, James Skinner and Luis Ignacio Solorzano joined the Shift board.

Technomics stays in NoVa to expand

Arlington, Virginia’s Technomics, a company specializing in data management and analysis, is expanding its HQ. The company will spend $1.7 million to expand its facility at 1225 South Clark Street, adding 10,000 square feet and creating space for 150 new jobs.

For the project, the over 220-person company looked at offers from Maryland, DC and California, but ultimately opted to stay in NoVa. The company is entirely employee-owned, and Governor Glenn Youngkin participated in a company event to announce the news.