Drone industry: MTU Aero Engines acquires Cologne propulsion specialist Aero Design Works

An acquisition in the drone industry: Aero Design Works GmbH, a Cologne-based supplier of drone engines, is going to MTU Aero Engines AG becoming a 100 per cent subsidiary. The engine specialist is thus adding propulsion solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and modern guided missile systems to its portfolio. Aero Design Works, in turn, gains access to MTU's industrial engine-building capabilities.

MTU is one of the established suppliers of military aircraft engines. Tornado and Eurofighter, the Tiger and CH-53K helicopters or the A400M transport aircraft – the company is involved in all their engines and has gained comprehensive expertise in development, production and maintenance. With its technology development for the engine of a coming generation of European combat aircraft, MTU is also shaping the future of military engine construction in Germany. Unmanned aircraft systems now add further prospects.

Drone industry: industrial strength meets agility

According to a recent press release, by acquiring Aero Design Works, "MTU Aero Engines combines the industrial clout of a global engine manufacturer with the agility of a specialised high-tech company". It goes on to say: "For Aero Design Works, the move offers the opportunity to scale its own products significantly and thus meet the growing demand of European armed forces and industrial customers on a large scale."

MTU's comprehensive manufacturing expertise is decisive here. The two companies' complementary capabilities are to create a leading European supplier for a broad spectrum of military propulsion systems. MTU already has expertise in the propulsion of autonomous aircraft systems – through another subsidiary, the electric motor manufacturer eMoSys.

Compact gas turbines from Cologne: the profile of Aero Design Works

Aero Design Works was founded in 2011 as a spin-off of the German Aerospace Center and today has around 40 employees. Within the past 15 years, the company has worked its way to the technological forefront among suppliers of gas turbines with up to 400 N of thrust. A portfolio of turbojet engines is in series production, and large orders from the defence sector are already being successfully fulfilled. In parallel, the team is developing engines with significantly more thrust, intended for further UAV and guided missile programmes at national and European level. To enable this scaling, MTU now contributes its development and manufacturing know-how.

In recent years we have shown how much innovative strength there is in Aero Design Works: high development speed, technological depth and the ability to take powerful, compact gas turbines from idea to series production— Georg Kröger and Ulrich Siller, founders of Aero Design Works

As part of MTU Aero Engines, the company is to further expand its position in a fast-growing segment. Aero Design Works will remain legally independent as a wholly owned subsidiary of MTU. The parties have agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.