Anavia, an Edge Group entity, has expanded its footprint in Europe with the opening of a new headquarters and research hub in Bilten, Switzerland. The site, launched in August, will focus on developing next-generation unmanned helicopters and rotorcraft systems while complementing the company’s manufacturing facility in Näfels.
The Bilten facility will serve as Anavia’s engineering and platform innovation center, while the Näfels site will handle serial production. The company said the dual-hub model is expected to create jobs locally and strengthen Switzerland’s aerospace ecosystem.
At the core of Anavia’s development is the HT-750, a heavy-lift unmanned helicopter designed for missions traditionally flown by manned rotorcraft. The platform has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,150 kilograms, can carry payloads of up to 750 kg and offers endurance of up to 15 hours with speeds reaching 222 kilometers per hour. The system supports advanced sensors, enabling roles ranging from defense and border security to disaster response and cargo transport.
“Our new headquarters in Bilten is a testament to our commitment to delivering advanced unmanned aerial systems for defense, security and civil applications,” said Anavia founder and co-CEO Jon Andri Jorg. “As Bilten becomes the nucleus for engineering activities and platform innovation, Näfels will serve as our center for serial production, enabling us to scale with precision and agility.”
Edge Group acquired a 52 percent majority stake in Anavia in 2023 as part of its strategy to expand in the vertical takeoff and landing segment.