Kopter

What Kopter does

Kopter Group AG is a Swiss aerospace manufacturer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A. (Italian listed aerospace and defense group) since April 8, 2020. Founded in 2007 as Marenco Swiss Helicopter and rebranded in February 2018, Kopter operates as an autonomous legal entity with headquarters in Wetzikon, Switzerland, and serves as Leonardo Helicopters' competence centre for new light helicopters, including future hybrid/electrical propulsion development. The company employs approximately 320 staff drawn from 30+ nationalities across facilities in Wetzikon (HQ), Mollis (prototype assembly and flight tests), Uznach (component testing), Ennetmoos (dynamic components), Munich (R&D), Lafayette, Louisiana (North America) and Kopter Germany.

Kopter's core product is the AW09, a 2.8 metric ton class next-generation single-engine turbine helicopter positioned as the only all-new single-engine helicopter design introduced in the last four decades. The aircraft features a composite airframe, a Safran Arriel 2K engine (1,000 shp class) with dual-channel FADEC and SAF compatibility, a 5-blade composite main rotor, a shrouded tail rotor, dual-redundant systems meeting CS-27 and CS-29-aligned standards, and a Garmin G3000H IFR-capable glass cockpit with synthetic vision, ADS-B, HTAWS and NVG compatibility. The modular cabin accommodates up to 8 passengers across configurable layouts for four mission profiles: passenger transport, medical & rescue, law enforcement, and utility/aerial work. Performance specifications include 800 km maximum range, 260 km/h maximum speed, 5+ hours endurance, and a 1,500 kg cargo hook rating. EASA certification is in progress with entry-into-service targeted for 2026, following the first flight of the first serial production aircraft (Series 6) on August 8, 2025.

Revenue is generated through two streams: (1) aircraft sales of the AW09 via Leonardo Helicopters' global enterprise sales organization and a network of regional authorized distributors (Metro Aviation in US/Canada, Gualter in Brazil, Heliflite in Oceania, Helitech Asia in Southeast Asia and Korea, KAAN Air in Turkey, Léman Aviation in France, Sloane in UK/Ireland, Synerjet in Latin America, Aero Facility in Japan), and (2) customer support and services including 24/7 MRO, by-the-hour nose-to-tail service contracts, field service, engineering, training, and connected services with engine/airframe data monitoring. Pricing is quote-based enterprise sales with no public list price disclosed.

Name

Kopter

Legal name

Kopter Group AG

Website

https://koptergroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kopter Group AG is a Swiss aerospace manufacturer and wholly-owned Leonardo S.p.A. subsidiary developing the AW09, a next-generation single-engine turbine helicopter for passenger transport, EMS, law enforcement and utility missions. First serial production aircraft flew August 2025, with EASA entry-into-service targeted for 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Turbine Helicopters

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro primary industry

Military/Defense Helicopter Manufacturing (IMABABAB)

Keywords

• Turbine helicopters
• Helicopter manufacturing
• Helicopter support services
• Light helicopters
• Helicopter distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Wetzikon

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Aircraft Sales: Sale of AW09 helicopters to end customers through Leonardo Helicopters distribution network and authorized distributors.
2. Customer Support & Services: Comprehensive service offerings including maintenance, repair & overhaul, field service assistance, engineering services, training services, and connected services. Offers 24/7 global support, by-the-hour contracts, and nose-to-tail comprehensive service packages.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kopter develops, manufactures, and supports the AW09, a 2.8 metric ton class next-generation single-engine turbine helicopter featuring a composite airframe, IFR-capable Garmin G3000H avionics, a Safran Arriel 2K engine, and a modular cabin configurable for up to 8 passengers. The company also delivers comprehensive customer support and services, including 24/7 MRO, by-the-hour contracts, engineering services, training, and connected services for the installed fleet.

Product overview

Kopter Group is a Leonardo Company developing a new generation of single turbine helicopters. The core product is the AW09, a 2.8-ton class single-engine helicopter representing the first all-new design in this segment in four decades. The AW09 serves multiple missions including passenger transport, utility, medical & rescue, and law enforcement. The company also offers an online AW09 Configurator for customizing the helicopter with optional equipment, comprehensive customer support and services including 24/7 global MRO network and training, and downloadable product documentation. Kopter became a Leonardo company in April 2020 and operates as an autonomous legal entity and competence centre for new light helicopters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AW09: Next-generation single turbine helicopter - the company's flagship product, previously known as SH09 before Leonardo acquisition. Features largest cabin volume in its class, designed for multi-mission operations including passenger transport, utility, medical & rescue, and law enforcement.

Products and services

• AW09 Helicopter Next-generation 2.8 metric ton class single-engine turbine helicopter with composite airframe, Garmin G3000H IFR-capable glass cockpit, 5-blade main rotor, shrouded tail rotor, and Safran Arriel 2K engine. Configurable for up to 8 passengers with the largest cabin volume in class and 1,500 kg cargo hook rating for passenger transport, medical and rescue, law enforcement, and utility missions.
• Customer Support and Services Comprehensive support offering for the AW09 and installed fleet, including 24/7 global support via MRO network, engineering and material fleet operation center, customer portal and apps, nose-to-tail by-the-hour contracts, maintenance and field service, repair and overhaul, training services, and connected services with advanced monitoring and analytics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maximum range of 800 km (432 nm) with fuel-efficient Safran Arriel 2K engine
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Leonardo HelicopterscoreOthers · 8 April 2020Kopter became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leonardo Helicopters in April 2020. Leonardo acquired Kopter to gain the next-generation AW09 product, innovative engineering approach, and skilled workforce. Kopter operates as an autonomous legal entity and serves as Leonardo's competence centre for new light helicopters, with focus on hybrid/electrical propulsion development. The AW09 complements Leonardo's existing AW119 in the light single-engine segment.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Robinson Helicopter Company: Manufacturer of the R66 turbine light single-engine helicopter, leading the private/VIP and training segments. Competes head-to-head with the AW09 on price point and pilot-friendly operations in the light single-engine market.
• MD Helicopters: Manufacturer of light single-engine helicopters such as the MD 530F and MD 500 series, with strong law enforcement and military utility market presence. Comparable target customer base (law enforcement, utility, EMS) to the AW09.
• Bell Textron: Manufacturer of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X light single-engine helicopter, the most direct in-class competitor to the AW09 with similar 2-3 ton class positioning, multi-mission use cases, and IFR-capable Garmin G1000 avionics. Shares the same commercial single-engine customer base.

Emerging players

• Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI): Manufacturer of the LAH (Light Armed Helicopter) and Surion, expanding from military rotorcraft into light helicopters with emerging commercial export ambitions. Relevant as a new-entrant helicopter OEM with comparable technology development capabilities.
• Turkish Aerospace (TAI) - T625 Gökbey: Manufacturer of the T625 Gökbey light twin-engine helicopter, a 6-ton class platform positioned for VIP, EMS, and utility missions. Comparable as a state-backed new helicopter OEM with multi-mission positioning targeting similar customer segments to AW09.
• Russian Helicopters (Ansat/Ka-226): Manufacturer of the light Ansat and Ka-226 light turbine helicopters positioned for utility and EMS missions. Limited Western market access but a relevant global competitor in emerging markets and a benchmark for hybrid/light turbine design strategies.

Broad incumbents

• Airbus Helicopters: World's largest civil helicopter manufacturer offering the H125 (single-engine) and H145 (twin-engine) families. Directly relevant as the dominant incumbent in the light single-engine segment the AW09 targets, with installed base, training, and MRO infrastructure that the AW09 must displace.
• Leonardo Helicopters: Kopter's parent and operator of the broader Leonardo Helicopters division with the AW119, AW139, AW169, and AW189 families. Relevant both as parent and as a same-portfolio competitor providing the AW119 which is the closest in-house light-single alternative to the AW09.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmT1jEEMPRwcem0mlngksSw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/KopterGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kopter-group-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/kopter_group

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kopter