Bulgaria's Dronamics, Germany's Cotesa partnering in cargo drone production

The manufacturing partnership will ensure production of Dronamics' Black Swan model at Cotesa's German facilities prior to the start of commercial operations in Europe scheduled for 2023, the Bulgarian start-up said in a press release.

In May, Dronamics became the first cargo drone company to obtain an EU-wide operating licence. Its Black Swan prototype can carry loads of up to 350 kg at a distance of up to 2,500 km, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60% compared to other modes of transport, including air freight.

In July, Dronamics said it intended to partner with listed Australian aerospace components maker Quickstep Holdings Ltd with the goal of ramping up production of the Black Swan ahead of first delivery in 2023.

"The Cotesa deal ensures Dronamics has an at-scale manufacturing capability in Europe, with the view to Europe being the launch market, followed by Australia. The Quickstep partnership is still a key aspect of the manufacturing scale-up of Dronamics," a spokesperson for Dronamics told SeeNews.

Cotesa, which is based near Leipzig, in eastern Germany, was founded in 2002 and has a workforce of over 400. The company produces composite fibre components for aviation and automotive engineering, and has been a supplier to Airbus since 2005.

Last month, the Bulgarian start-up unveiled its entry in the UK market by becoming part of a consortium, led by local airport owner AGS Airports, for the development of a project to ensure delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies across Scotland.