The UAE’s EDGE Group, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups, has announced the acquisition of a 52% majority shareholding in ANAVIA, a Switzerland-based company that specialises in the design, development, and manufacturing of versatile vertical take-off & landing (VTOL) systems of up to 750 kilograms, and their associated capabilities. The move will see EDGE become a market leader in this highly-specialised domain.
ANAVIA produces a range of industry-leading unmanned helicopters for various mission profiles such as surveillance and reconnaissance, inspection, and mapping and cargo, which can be adapted to EDGE’s cross-complementary portfolio of air, land, and maritime capabilities. The Group is placing a major focus on the development of autonomous systems.
Mansour AlMulla, Managing Director & CEO of EDGE Group, said: “The acquisition of a majority share in ANAVIA is an important step in EDGE’s strategy of bolstering its advanced autonomous aerial vehicle capabilities as it rapidly expands its portfolio of multi-domain systems and solutions and its global export footprint.”
“The deal will enable us to benefit from ANAVIA’s proven experience in the development of high quality and technologically advanced unmanned helicopters to complement our existing range of autonomous aerial systems, and its established supply chains, to become a market leader in this field. It will also allow ANAVIA to take advantage of EDGE’s scale and the opportunities this presents for further innovation across relevant areas of the group,” he added.
ANAVIA employs a highly-skilled team of experts in the autonomous aircraft domain, covering areas such as composite, mechatronics, aircraft maintenance, flight testing, and software engineering.
Jon Andri Jörg, Founder & Co-CEO of ANAVIA, said: “Together with EDGE, we are poised to redefine the possibilities in this field and deliver ground-breaking solutions to meet the evolving demands of both military and civilian sectors, and there is great potential here. As we explore these synergies together and push the boundaries in our domain, we will continue to build on the unrivalled expertise which has seen ANAVIA grow rapidly as a leader in the production of superior ‘Made in Switzerland’ autonomous aerial solutions.”
Ishan Sahgal, Founder & Co-CEO of ANAVIA, added: “We are proud to be forging this pioneering partnership and joining the EDGE family. It will enable us to collaborate on unmanned helicopter platforms, marking a significant milestone in autonomous aviation. It also reflects ANAVIA’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of technological innovation and revolutionising the future of unmanned helicopter systems.”
Headquartered in Näfels, in the Swiss Canton of Glarus, ANAVIA offers industry leading unmanned helicopter systems for various mission profiles, such as Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Inspection or Mapping & Cargo. Its industry leading unmanned helicopter systems currently fly missions on four continents. With its endurance, versatility and long-range, the HT-100 is simply the best unmanned VTOL system worldwide. For every mission. For every deployment
Launched in November 2019, the UAE’s EDGE is one of the world’s leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly-skilled talent to thrive.
With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers.
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 25 entities into five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Trading & Mission Support, and Homeland Security.
