Cluj-based company BraveX Aero announced on Thursday, in a statement sent to the entrepreneurial community StartupCafe.ro, having completed the development and validation of a military jet-powered drone that can reach speeds of up to 500 km/h.
The unmanned aerial vehicle, named Vimana Jet, is now ready for production.
BraveX Aero claims the Vimana Jet is „the first Romanian jet-propelled drone, capable of reaching speeds up to 500 km/h, with a flight time of 40 minutes at a cruising speed of 250 km/h.”.
The Cluj-based company is developing two Vimana Jet models, with slightly different parameters.
These can be used as target drones for calibrating defense systems and as interceptor drones.
„Flight tests and technical validations have been completed, and the drones have already been delivered to customers. In the last two months, over 20 test flights have been conducted, totaling 800 km of flight, and the models are now ready for production. ”I am happy and proud of the team with whom I achieved these performance," says Rareș Racoțean, CTO (chief technology officer) and company founder.
Company seeks funding
Recently, BraveX Aero completed the delivery of drones under a contract signed last autumn, confirming the company's operational research and development, production, and scaled delivery capabilities.
To meet growing demand and scale production capacity, BraveX Aero is currently undertaking a fundraising round.
The company states that it will allocate funds for expanding production capacity and accelerating sales in European markets, as well as for the completion of the VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing drone) model by the end of 2026.
BraveX Aero will also be exhibiting at the Black Sea Defense, Aerospace and Security International Exhibition (BSDA), the most important defense and security event in the western Black Sea region. Visitors are invited to discuss partnership and collaboration opportunities with the BraveX Aero team at the company's booth, D662.
BraveX Aero is a Romanian manufacturer of long-range drones, founded with the mission of providing European-owned aerial surveillance and reconnaissance solutions.
The company says it produces and markets a range of five models, from electric drones to jet-propelled drones, intended for security, defense, border control, civil interventions, and environmental monitoring.
BraveX Aero currently delivers 2-5 fixed-wing drones per month and collaborates with over 15 European partners and consortia on various technological aspects.