Romanian drone maker BraveX Aero, Romaero expand UAV production capacity

Romanian aerospace company BraveX Aero and state-owned Romaero are developing an industrial capacity to produce up to 17 unmanned aircraft per month as they seek to meet growing demand from the defense sector. BraveX Aero also announced a EUR 4 million funding round to support the expansion of its production capabilities.

Under the plan, BraveX Aero will expand production at its own facility to a capacity of up to seven aircraft per month, while Romaero will add the capacity to manufacture up to 10 aircraft airframes per month. The companies aim to increase the joint production capacity to 30 airframes per month from 2028.

“We are deliberately building a two-tier industrial model. Our own production capacity gives us direct control over technology, quality, and the pace of development, while our collaboration with Romaero allows us to prepare a genuine industrial reserve in advance. In the defense and security sectors, the ability to scale production rapidly should not be improvised when the need arises; it must be designed and planned in advance,” said Răzvan Costea-Bărluțiu, CEO of BraveX Aero.

The company's new production facility, expected to become fully operational in August, will manufacture composite airframes and support output of up to seven aircraft per month. BraveX Aero said it is also investing in equipment and expanding its workforce from 23 to 28 employees by the end of 2026, with plans to reach around 50 employees by the end of 2028.

“The new facility allows us to integrate the production of composite airframes more efficiently with our mechatronics, integration, and testing activities. Together with the new equipment and the expansion of the team, this organisation enables us to support a production capacity of up to seven aircraft per month while maintaining direct control over critical processes and the quality of every platform," explained Rareș Racoțean, CTO and Founder of BraveX Aero.

The partnership with Romaero is expected to enter the production phase in September, when the first BraveX-1 aircraft structure manufactured under the collaboration is scheduled to be completed. The companies also plan to begin preparing production of the new BraveX-Delta unmanned platform in the fourth quarter of 2026.

“The collaboration with BraveX Aero leverages Romaero’s infrastructure and expertise in the production and inspection of aircraft airframes. We are preparing an additional capacity of up to 10 airframes per month in the first stage, supported by quality control processes and non-destructive testing (NDT). Our shared objective is for this capacity to be capable of being activated rapidly, based on clear industrial planning and a well-controlled technology transfer,” added Speranța Munteanu, Special Administrator Romaero.

BraveX Aero said the additional production capacity at Romaero could be activated within one week in response to large commercial orders or national security requirements. The company added that the EUR 4 million funding round will support production expansion, the industrialization of new unmanned aircraft platforms, and its growth in the European defense market.

This year, BraveX Aero completed the validation campaign for the Vimana Jet platform and began customer deliveries. The company also developed and tested the Vimana Life Saver platform for long-endurance search and rescue missions and continues the development programmes for the BraveX-Delta and VTOL platforms.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: press release) ...