Meet the People Behind the Technology

[ Team Leaders ]

Meet Our Expert Team

Our team delivers innovative solutions with expertise, commitment, and exceptional professional support.

Gary Piacentini

CEO | Founder | Chief Engineer

Engineering-Led Leadership Focused on Execution

Gary Piacentini is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Transport Group, bringing more than 25 years of hands-on experience across automotive, aerospace, aviation, construction, and advanced manufacturing. His leadership is grounded in direct involvement with how complex systems are designed, built, tested, and scaled—an approach that defines Dragon’s engineering-first culture.
Gary’s technical foundation was built in automotive and aerospace manufacturing, beginning with pattern making and hard tooling development. Through formal apprenticeship programs and progressive responsibility, he gained end-to-end exposure to soft tooling, hard tooling, clay modeling, fabrication sampling, and CAD-driven design—developing a practical, production-oriented understanding of precision systems from concept through execution.

Education & Certifications

• Trade School — Automotive / Aerospace Tool & Die, Manufacturing
• Aviation Pilot – Rotorcraft
• Licensed Builder — Residential and Commercial Construction
• Martial Arts — Black Belt, Aikido and Tang Soo Doo

Professional Experience

Automotive & Aerospace Engineering
Gary has worked across multiple tiers of the automotive and aerospace ecosystem, contributing to tooling, design-for-manufacture, and advanced component development. His experience includes supplier-side involvement with military aircraft programs such as the F-16 and V-22 Osprey.

Aviation & Flight Operations
Gary is an experienced rotorcraft pilot with extensive flight time across four continents. His aviation background provides an operator-level perspective on propulsion performance, reliability, system safety, and real-world operational constraints—insight that directly informsDragon’s propulsion architecture.

Entrepreneurship & Fleet Operations
Gary founded and operated a successful livery services business, managing fleet acquisition, maintenance, logistics, and customer delivery. This experience established strong operational discipline and a results-driven execution mindset.

Construction & Commercial Development
Gary holds a builder’s license and has led both residential and commercial construction projects, including large apartment complex renovations. His work required multi-trade coordination,schedule control, regulatory compliance, and disciplined cost management.

Advanced Mobility & OEM Experience
Gary has contributed to engineering and advanced mobility initiatives with organizations including Tesla, Faraday Future, Ford, Chrysler, Audi, and Visioneering, reinforcing hisexposure to next-generation vehicle systems and complex development environments.

Global Perspective

Gary has lived and worked across multiple regions, gaining first-hand experience with international engineering practices and operational environments:
• North America: United States (Michigan, California)
• Europe: Sweden, Germany, Italy
• Asia: Japan, China
• Australia: Melbourne, Geelong

Founder’s Philosophy

Dragon Transport Group was founded on the belief that incremental improvements to combustion-based propulsion are no longer sufficient. Gary’s leadership philosophy emphasizes disciplined engineering, materials science, and system-level integration—paired with real-world operational insight from manufacturing, aviation, and large-scale construction.
This balance ensures Dragon Transport Group remains execution-driven, capital-efficient, and technically uncompromising as it advances toward commercialization

Technical Leadership Bridging Defense, Simulation, and Advanced Systems

Nolan Piacentini serves as Chief Technology Officer of Dragon Transport Group, where he leads technical architecture, systems integration, and advanced modeling across the company’s next-
generation propulsion platform. His background combines military operational experience, secure systems exposure, and advanced digital engineering—providing Dragon with a disciplined, systems-level approach to high-risk, high-performance technology development.

Nolan’s technical foundation spans physical systems, digital environments, and secure communications, enabling him to operate effectively at the intersection of hardware, software, and simulation. His work emphasizes validation, realism, and execution discipline—ensuring Dragon’s propulsion concepts are engineered with deployability, reliability, and security in mind.

Education & Technical Training

• Waterford Kettering High School
• United States Army Infantry School — Basic Training
• Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) — Raven platform
• Radio Communications Systems
• Satellite Communication Systems
• Class-A Surface Modeling
• Concept Surface Modeling

Professional & Technical Experience

Military & Defense Systems
Nolan is a U.S. Army veteran with operational experience supporting communications, unmanned systems, and secure field operations. His background includes hands-on exposure to tactical UAV platforms, encrypted radio systems, and satellite communications—providing a practical understanding of mission-critical system reliability and operational constraints.

Advanced Digital Engineering & Simulation
Nolan has deep experience with advanced modeling and simulation environments, including Alias, Blender, and Unreal Engine, with applications spanning virtual reality, digital twins, and concept validation. These tools support Dragon’s system visualization, airflow modeling, integration studies, and pre-physical validation workflows.

Automotive, Mobility & Design Engineering
Nolan has contributed to engineering and design initiatives across organizations including Faraday Future, Platinum Executive Design Corporation, and KAAD Corporation, supporting advanced mobility concepts, surface development, and system integration.

Security & Operational Credentials

• Non Active Secret Security Clearance
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Good Conduct Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• NATO Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Army Overseas Ribbon
• Army Service Ribbon

Global & Operational Exposure

Nolan has operated and supported missions across multiple regions, contributing to his ability to design systems with real-world deployment constraints in mind:
• Europe
• Middle East
• Afghanistan

CTO Philosophy

At Dragon Transport Group, Nolan brings a defense-grade mindset to advanced propulsion development—prioritizing system integrity, verification, and secure execution. His leadership ensures that digital modeling, physical engineering, and operational realities converge into propulsion systems that are not only innovative, but credible, testable, and scalable.

By integrating military discipline with advanced simulation and design tools, Nolan Piacentini plays a central role in transforming Dragon’s propulsion architecture from concept to deployable reality.