WindShape
WindShape develops modular multi-fan wind generator systems for free-flight drone testing under controlled weather conditions. The Swiss company sells WindShaper hardware to research labs and operates drone testing facilities in Geneva and Tulsa serving aerospace, defense, and academic customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What WindShape does
WindShape SA is a privately held Swiss company founded in 2016 by Guillaume Catry that develops modular multi-fan wind generator systems for free-flight drone testing. Its core technology, the WindShaper, is a fan-array wind tunnel composed of thousands of independently controllable 'wind pixels' capable of producing uniform flows, gusts, shear, turbulence, and environmental conditions including rain, snow, hail, fog, icing, and extreme temperatures in a laboratory setting. The hardware is bundled with a companion software stack — WindControl (real-time control interface with a Python API), WindProbe (calibrated multi-hole pressure probe), and WindVision (data visualization) — enabling repeatable scientific experimentation that traditional laminar wind tunnels cannot support.
The company operates a dual revenue model: it sells WindShaper hardware directly to research institutions, drone manufacturers, and government agencies (having equipped more than 80 laboratories worldwide, including NASA, Caltech, and the US Army), and it operates two owned drone testing facilities in Geneva and Tulsa offering Testing, Inspection, Validation, and Certification (TIVAC) services on a managed-service basis. The Tulsa center, opened in September 2025 at the Skyway36 Droneport through a partnership with the Osage Nation, spans 19,000 square feet with eight specialized labs including a cold chamber rated to -45°F and a 16x12 WindShaper capable of 17 m/s winds. Customers span drone manufacturers, academic and research institutions (OSU, Politecnico di Torino, EURAC Research), government and defense agencies (NASA, US Army, NUAIR), and emerging Advanced Aerial Mobility (eVTOL) developers. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales supplemented by industry events (CES, CEATEC) and the WindCon user conference; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
WindShape firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WindShape
- Legal name
- WindShape SA
- Website
- https://windshape.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WindShape develops modular multi-fan wind generator systems for free-flight drone testing under controlled weather conditions. The Swiss company sells WindShaper hardware to research labs and operates drone testing facilities in Geneva and Tulsa serving aerospace, defense, and academic customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WindShape industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerospace Testing Equipment
- NAICS
- Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Aircraft & Parts (3720)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN)
Keywords
Where WindShape is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Geneva
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
WindShape business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- WindShaper Hardware Sales: Sale of WindShaper modular wind generator systems - configurable multi-fan arrays sold as laboratory equipment to research institutions, universities, and drone manufacturers worldwide. The company has equipped more than 80 laboratories globally.
- Drone Testing Services: Testing, inspection, validation, and certification (TIVAC) services for drones and unmanned aircraft systems. Includes environmental testing, performance assessment, safety assessment, and regulatory compliance testing at test centers in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Geneva, Switzerland.
- Wall as a Service / Testing Center Access: Provides access to drone testing facilities and capabilities on a service basis, offering advanced indoor wind and weather simulation testing for customers who prefer not to purchase equipment outright.
- NASA Contract (Government): Contract with NASA Ames Research Center (Contract 80TECH23PA015) to supply Wind Fan Array laboratory device for aerial robot research capabilities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
WindShape product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WindShape designs and manufactures modular fan-array wind generation systems (the WindShaper) that simulate turbulence, wind shear, and gusts for indoor testing of drones, eVTOL aircraft, and unmanned aerial systems. The hardware is integrated with proprietary WindControl software, WindProbe sensors, and WindVision analysis tools. In parallel, the company operates test facilities in Geneva and Tulsa that provide drone flight testing, validation, and certification services to manufacturers, research institutions, and government agencies.
Product overview
WindShape is a Swiss company (established 2016) offering a unified portfolio of hardware and software products for drone testing and aerodynamic validation. The core product is the WindShaper — a modular, multi-fan wind generator (fan-array wind tunnel) that enables free-flight drone testing under controllable and repeatable wind conditions. This hardware is supported by a companion software stack: WindControl (control interface with Python API), WindProbe (wind measurement probe), and WindVision (data visualization software). The company also operates two physical drone test centers — in Tulsa, Oklahoma (8 labs including free-flight arena, cold chamber, wet lab, and subsystems lab) and Geneva, Switzerland — offering testing, inspection, validation, and certification (TIVAC) services. The Tulsa facility opened in September 2025 and spans approximately 19,000 square feet.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WindShaper: A fully customizable and portable multi-fan wind generator for creative researchers, used for drone aerodynamic testing and environmental simulation.
- WindControl
- WindProbe
- WindVision
Products and services
- WindShaper A modular fan-array wind generator system designed to reproduce turbulence, wind shear, and gusts in an indoor environment. It is sold to drone and eVTOL manufacturers, research institutions, and government agencies for aerodynamic testing of unmanned aerial systems.
- WindControl Software Proprietary control software that drives the WindShaper fan array to generate programmable, real-time wind fields including turbulence and shear profiles. It is integrated with WindShaper systems and used by test engineers for repeatable drone aerodynamic characterization.
- WindProbe Wind measurement instrumentation used to characterize the indoor wind environment generated by the WindShaper system. It provides reference data for validating test conditions and is used together with WindControl and WindVision.
- WindVision Software Software for measurement analysis and visualization of wind field data captured during indoor test campaigns. It supports engineers in interpreting WindProbe measurements and validating the generated wind environment.
- Drone Testing and Certification Services Fee-based drone flight testing, validation, and certification services delivered through WindShape's indoor test facilities in Geneva and Tulsa. Services are targeted at drone manufacturers, eVTOL developers, research institutions, and government agencies needing weather-independent, reproducible aerodynamic testing.
Quantifiable outcome
- WindShape equipped more than 80 laboratories around the world with WindShaper technology since founding in 2016
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use WindShape
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WindShape technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
WindShape partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.
- Tyto RoboticssecondaryPartner demonstrating in-flow propeller testing capabilities (UAV motors and propellers performance measurements in non-uniform winds) during WindCon 2025 user event. Collaborative product demonstration relationship.
- Dantec DynamicssecondaryPartner conducting 3D flow visualization demonstrations using Tomographic PTV with helium-filled bubbles and WindShaper during WindCon 2025 user event.
- Oklahoma Department of CommercesecondaryOklahoma state agency supporting WindShape's facility opening and recognizing company as key to Oklahoma's leadership in advanced mobility technology development.
- Oklahoma State University (OSU)coreMOU establishing collaboration between WindShape, OSU's Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education, and Counter-UAS Center of Excellence. Focuses on UAS and AAM validation, particularly in snow conditions, with shared research and development of testing protocols.
- University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)coreMOU with UCAR, manager of NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), to advance UAS and AAM atmospheric research. Collaboration includes building artificial snow generation system and enhancing industry standards for safety and design innovation.
- Osage PathFinders Development Program (OPD)secondaryWindShape participates in Osage Nation's 3-year youth development program combining aviation training, STEM curriculum, and apprenticeships at WindShape's TIVAC center to develop next generation of aerospace leaders.
- Osage Nation / Osage LLCcoreStrategic partnership with Osage tribal nation to open drone testing facility at Skyway36 Droneport. Osage Nation provides capital resources in infrastructure and cash, with WindShape operating the 19,000 sq ft facility exclusively. Partnership includes participation in Osage PathFinders Development Program to train Osage youth in aerospace.
- Skyway36 DroneportcoreHost location for WindShape's Tulsa testing facility within the Tulsa Regional Advanced Mobility (TRAM) cluster and UAS Flight Test Corridor. Skyway36 offers 3,000-foot runway and helipad space for UAS and eVTOL vehicles.
- Tulsa Innovation LabssecondaryTulsa Innovation Labs, part of GKFF entities, supported WindShape's expansion and facility development. Part of TRAM coalition to build drone ecosystem in Tulsa.
- Tulsa Regional ChambersecondaryEconomic development partner through Tulsa's Future regional development program, supporting WindShape's regional positioning in Advanced Aerial Mobility.
- NUAIR AlliancesecondaryPartnership for micro-weather testing at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, NY using WindShape's wind generation technology combined with NUAIR's test site infrastructure.
- TruWeather SolutionssecondaryPartnership to advance micro-weather testing by combining WindShape's wind simulation with TruWeather's weather prediction technology for drone-specific weather analytics.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
WindShape competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ONERA: The French Aerospace Lab ONERA operates large-scale wind tunnels and conducts UAV / AAM aerodynamic research. A broader incumbent serving similar drone and aerospace testing needs across Europe with much larger facilities.
- CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Centre): CIRA operates wind tunnels and aerospace test facilities in Italy and runs research programs on UAVs and advanced air mobility. A broader aerospace testing incumbent with overlapping UAS testing themes to WindShape.
- Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR): NLR is the Dutch national aerospace research center operating wind tunnels, flight test facilities, and UAS testing infrastructure. A broad incumbent offering overlapping aerodynamic and drone testing capabilities with WindShape at greater scale.
Emerging players
- Skyryse: Skyryse develops autonomous flight technology with a strong testing and certification focus on commercial aircraft and AAM. While not building wind tunnels, it represents an emerging AAM adjacent player whose testing requirements overlap with WindShape's target customer base.
Direct peers
- TSI Incorporated: TSI manufactures precision flow measurement instruments, anemometers, and particle image velocimetry systems widely used in wind-tunnel and drone testing labs. Comparable to WindShape on the measurement side of the same test workflow.
- LaVision: LaVision is a leading supplier of flow visualization, PIV, and measurement systems for aerodynamic and wind-tunnel applications. It overlaps directly with WindShape's WindVision/WindProbe software stack and measurement instruments.
- Dantec Dynamics: Dantec Dynamics manufactures flow measurement and PIV/flow-visualization systems used in aerodynamic test campaigns. It partners with WindShape on Tomographic PTV demonstrations with the WindShaper, making it a direct peer in aerodynamic test instrumentation.
- Tyto Robotics: Tyto Robotics builds motor and propeller test stands for UAVs, with in-flow propeller testing capabilities explicitly demonstrated alongside WindShaper systems. It is a direct peer in UAS propulsion and free-flight testing instrumentation.
- Bihrle Applied Research: Bihrle Applied Research operates wind-tunnel and aerodynamic testing services for aerospace and defense clients, including rotorcraft and UAV testing — overlapping directly with WindShape's TIVAC testing services business model.
- NUAIR Alliance: NUAIR operates UAS test ranges and airspace integration programs in New York, including Griffiss International Airport, where WindShape wind-generation technology is integrated for micro-weather drone testing. A direct peer in UAS TIVAC services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WindShape social profiles
Digital presenceWindShape financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WindShape leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
WindShape subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
WindShape funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WindShape M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WindShape
What does WindShape do?
WindShape designs and manufactures modular fan-array wind generation systems (the WindShaper) that simulate turbulence, wind shear, and gusts for indoor testing of drones, eVTOL aircraft, and unmanned aerial systems. The hardware is integrated with proprietary WindControl software, WindProbe sensors, and WindVision analysis tools. In parallel, the company operates test facilities in Geneva and Tulsa that provide drone flight testing, validation, and certification services to manufacturers, research institutions, and government agencies.
Is WindShape a public or private company?
WindShape is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was WindShape founded?
WindShape was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WindShape based?
WindShape is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does WindShape make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. WindShaper Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are drone Testing Services, wall as a Service / Testing Center Access and NASA Contract (Government).
Who are WindShape's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ONERA, CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Centre) and Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR). Skyryse is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are TSI Incorporated, LaVision, Dantec Dynamics, Tyto Robotics, Bihrle Applied Research and NUAIR Alliance.
Does WindShape have an API?
Yes. WindControl is the software interface to the WindShaper wind generator, allowing users to control the wind generator and visualize wind data in real time. It features a cross-platform and OS-independent interface. A Python API is available for programmatic control of the WindShaper fan array.
What industry is WindShape in?
WindShape's product category is Aerospace Testing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAFAN, Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment. Its NAICS code is 333413 and its SIC code is 3564.