BraveX Aero announces a new stage in its industrial development strategy, built on two complementary directions: the company is expanding its own production capacity through a new facility, which will enable the manufacture of up to seven aircraft per month, while in parallel developing, together with Romaero, an additional industrial capacity that will initially reach ten aircraft airframes per month, with a planned capacity of 30 airframes per month in 2028. This hybrid model combines production carried out in the company’s own facilities with an external industrial reserve, prepared in advance and capable of being activated rapidly when large-volume orders arise or when requirements from the defence and national security sectors emerge, according to Romania Journal.
To support this stage of development, BraveX Aero is currently undertaking a €4 million funding round, addressed to private equity investors and investment funds. The capital raised will be directed towards expanding production, industrialising new platforms, and strengthening the company’s position in the European defence market.
“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 defence 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”, says Răzvan Costea-Bărluțiu, CEO BraveX Aero.
BraveX Aero’s current in-house production capacity is up to seven aircraft per month. The company’s new facility, scheduled to become fully operational in August, is dedicated to the production of composite airframes and enables a clear separation of this workflow from the mechatronics, integration, and testing area. The expansion is supported by investments in equipment, workflow reorganisation, and the growth of the team from its current 23 members to 28 by the end of 2026. The company’s plan targets approximately 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”, explains Rareș Racoțean, CTO and Founder BraveX Aero.
Maintaining a significant in-house production capacity remains essential for BraveX Aero: critical processes, intellectual property, product configurations, and final validation remain under the company’s direct control. The strategy is being developed at a time when the European Union is accelerating investments in expanding defence industrial capacities through instruments such as the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) programme. BraveX Aero is involved in this European ecosystem and is preparing its production capabilities to respond to future European procurement and industrialisation programmes.
Additional capacity planned together with Romaero
In September, the first aircraft structure for BraveX-1, one of the unmanned platforms developed by the company and currently in production, will be manufactured within the framework of the collaboration with Romaero. In the fourth quarter of 2026, the two companies will also begin preparing production for BraveX-Delta, the new generation of UAV platforms developed by BraveX Aero, gradually expanding the range of aircraft manufactured under the partnership.
The industrial partnership with Romaero is entering the production preparation stage. In its initial phase, Romaero will be able to add a capacity of up to 10 aircraft airframes per month on top of the production level provided by BraveX Aero at its own facility. Given the anticipated high demand, the plan provides for expanding this capacity to 30 airframes per month starting in 2028. This additional capacity will be included in the joint industrial planning of BraveX Aero and Romaero. Once the operational preparation stages have been completed, it will be possible to activate this capacity within a maximum of one week from the emergence of a firm production requirement, in order to respond to accelerated growth in commercial demand or national security needs.
The tooling required will be available for production within Romaero’s infrastructure, and Romaero personnel will be trained by BraveX Aero throughout 2026 in the processes and specific requirements of the platforms. Quality control for the operations carried out at Romaero will be performed by Romaero, including through its NDT (non-destructive testing) capabilities, based on the criteria and technical documentation agreed for the programme.
“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”, ads Speranța Munteanu, Special Administrator Romaero.
BraveX Aero’s development in 2026
The industrial expansion is taking place against the backdrop of growing commercial activity and the maturation of BraveX Aero’s portfolio. The company works with defence sector clients, carries out recurring deliveries, and continues to invest in the development and industrialisation of new platforms.
In 2026, 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. The chosen industrial model is designed to allow the company to grow gradually without losing control over critical processes, while also enabling it to respond rapidly when requested volumes exceed its baseline production capacity.
Driven by regional security volatility along its eastern border and the strategic imperatives of NATO’s Black Sea posture, Romania is accelerating its transition from a military hardware importer to a domestic producer of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Over the last three years, through a series of strategic joint ventures between state-owned defense companies, local private tech firms, and international defense giants, the nation has laid the groundwork for an industrial drone ecosystem capable of supplying both the Romanian Armed Forces and allied nations.
The war in neighboring Ukraine fundamentally altered modern warfare logistics, proving that low-cost, highly adaptable unmanned systems are as vital to frontline defense as heavy artillery or armored vehicles. In response, Bucharest has shifted its defense procurement strategy, placing local production requirements and technology transfers at the center of its military modernization program.
The Industrial Anchors: International Partnerships and Local Assembly
The backbone of Romania’s military drone ambition relies on dual-track manufacturing: assembling high-tier, tactical NATO-standard UAVs through technology transfers while simultaneously developing indigenous loitering munitions and reconnaissance quadcopters.
Key joint ventures and industrial hubs driving this push include:
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Aerostar Bacău and Raytheon/Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI): Long established as Romania’s primary aeronautical repair and manufacturing plant, Aerostar has expanded its facilities to handle the maintenance, assembly, and tactical integration of tactical UAV systems.
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IAR Ghimbav and Elbit Systems: Building on a multi-decade partnership in helicopter modernization, the facility in Brașov County has integrated assembly lines for the Watchkeeper X tactical UAS, fulfilling a major procurement contract for the Romanian Land Forces.
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Romarm and Private Tech Innovation: National defense industrial group Romarm has partnered with domestic software and engineering firms to develop light, kamikaze-style drones (loitering munitions) tailored for infantry units.
The Regulatory and Financial Framework
To support this rapid industrial scaling, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense (MApN) streamlined its procurement protocols, allowing for faster prototyping and testing cycles at military firing ranges like Cincu and Capu Midia.
Furthermore, national defense allocation—consistently maintained at or above 2.5% of GDP—has earmarked dedicated budget lines for domestic defense research and development (R&D).
| Facility / Location | Primary Focus Area | Industrial Partners | Output Category |
| IAR Ghimbav (Brașov) | Tactical reconnaissance UAS assembly | Elbit Systems, IAR Ghimbav | Watchkeeper X tactical drones |
| Aerostar Bacău | Maintenance, repair, and heavy UAV integration | Aerostar, IAI | Medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) support |
| UMB / Romarm (Bucharest) | Loitering munitions and tactical FPV systems | State defense sector, local private tech | Short-range strike and reconnaissance drones |
Software Integration and the Black Sea Edge
Manufacturing the physical airframe is only half the challenge; the true competitive edge of Romanian-produced drones lies in software resilience. Romanian defense engineers have focused heavily on counter-electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, developing autonomous navigation algorithms that allow drones to operate in heavy GPS-jammed environments—a lesson learned directly from Black Sea security dynamics.
Local tech companies specializing in artificial intelligence and computer vision are collaborating with military labs to integrate automated target recognition directly onto the onboard processing units of domestically built drones.
Strategic Challenges on the Horizon
Despite significant momentum, Romania’s defense drone sector faces critical bottlenecks as it scales toward full operational capacity:
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Supply Chain Dependency: Essential microelectronics, optical sensors, and specialized electric motors remain largely imported from Western Europe and East Asia, exposing production schedules to global supply chain disruptions.
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Workforce Deficits: Scaling up high-tech aeronautical assembly requires specialized systems engineers, software developers, and robotics technicians—a talent pool in high demand across the private IT sector.
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Bureaucratic Red Tape: While procurement processes have improved, transitioning a prototype from successful field testing to full-scale mass production often encounters administrative delays within state procurement agencies.
A Pillar of Regional Defense
Romania’s push into military drone production represents more than an industrial upgrade; it is a core component of its national security strategy. By establishing domestic manufacturing lines and securing critical intellectual property, the nation is reducing its dependence on foreign supply chains while reinforcing its role as a key contributor to NATO’s eastern flank security.
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