Lange Aviation
Lange Aviation GmbH is a German aerospace company that designs, manufactures, and sells certified electric propulsion systems and the Antares series of high-performance electric motor gliders for private pilots, aircraft manufacturers, eVTOL developers, and research institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersZweibrücken, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Lange Aviation does
Lange Aviation GmbH is a German privately-held aerospace company founded in 1996 by Axel Lange (designated "the father of modern electric flight") and headquartered on a 1,800 m² manufacturing site at Zweibrücken Airport in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The company designs, manufactures, and sells the Antares family of high-performance electric motor gliders (Antares 21E, Antares 23E, and the legacy Antares 20E), which use a proprietary certified electric drive stack — an asynchronous external rotor motor, an inverter, the RED.3 lithium-ion battery management system, and electronic drive control — to deliver autonomous self-launch and climb performance above 5,500 meters. Lange also developed the Antares H2, the first piloted aircraft to complete a complete flight powered exclusively by hydrogen fuel cells from takeoff to landing (developed with DLR, 2009). The firm employs approximately 30 people and operates no subsidiaries, though it has an independent sister company, Lange Research Aircraft GmbH, developing the larger 6-motor Antares E2 hydrogen/electric hybrid research platform (up to 20-hour endurance, 200 kg payload, ~3,000 km range).
The commercial model is dual-track. The first leg is direct, sales-led distribution of premium-priced electric aircraft to high-net-worth private pilots and competitive glider pilots, supported by quote-based pricing (no public list price), a sales phone line, website contact forms, and a small network of regional representatives (e.g., Benelux). The second leg is B2B sales of certified electric propulsion components under the LANGE.RED e-cosystem — power electronics, the RED.3 battery system, charging devices, electronic drive control, and OTA update capability — to aircraft manufacturers and eVTOL developers, complemented by training through the LANGE.RED pioneers academy and a "Flying Lab" research service that rents the Antares E2 platform to research institutions for custom sensor integration and long-duration missions.
Lange holds the first-ever EASA type certification for a manned electric production aircraft (Antares 20E, certified 2003/2004), a position unmatched until the next EASA electric approval in 2019. The firm is bootstrapped ("organic growth and sensible, prudent investment from its own resources"), cites more cumulative electric flight hours than all other companies and aircraft combined, and operates major research and strategic alliances with Boeing Phantom Works, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Fraunhofer institutes, TU Munich, and VTT. Recent awards include the Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize (2010), the Berblinger Prize (2011), the OSTIV Award (2017), and IHK Rheinland-Pfalz "Hidden Champion" recognition.
Lange Aviation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lange Aviation
- Legal name
- Lange Aviation GmbH
- Website
- https://lange-aviation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lange Aviation GmbH is a German aerospace company that designs, manufactures, and sells certified electric propulsion systems and the Antares series of high-performance electric motor gliders for private pilots, aircraft manufacturers, eVTOL developers, and research institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lange Aviation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electric Aircraft Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Aircraft (3721), Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Glider & Sailplane Manufacturing (IMABAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Electric & Hybrid-Electric Propulsion (eVTOL/Regional) (IMABADAH)
Keywords
Where Lange Aviation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zweibrücken
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lange Aviation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Electric Aircraft Sales: Sale of Antares Electric Performance Aircraft (Antares 21E, Antares 23E) to private pilots and enthusiasts. Includes new aircraft sales and used aircraft services.
- B2B Industrial Components & Services: Sale of certified electric propulsion components, battery systems, power electronics, charging systems, and drive control systems to other aircraft manufacturers and eVTOL developers.
- Training & After-Sales Services: Training programs through LANGE.RED pioneers academy, after-sales support, technical services, and maintenance.
- Flying Development Lab: Research and development services for custom sensor integration and long-duration flight missions using the Antares E2 research platform.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Lange Aviation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lange Aviation designs, manufactures, and sells EASA-certified electric performance aircraft, principally the Antares series of self-launching motor gliders (Antares 21E and Antares 23E). Through its LANGE.RED e-cosystem, it also sells certified electric propulsion components — battery management systems, power electronics, charging devices, and electronic drive controls — to other aircraft manufacturers and eVTOL developers, and operates a Flying Lab research platform (Antares E2) for long-duration missions.
Product overview
Lange Aviation is a pioneer in electric flight, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on the Antares Electric Performance Aircraft series (Antares 21E and Antares 23E), which are high-performance electric motor gliders with autonomous self-launch capability. The company operates a dual business model: producing certified electric aircraft for end customers while also supplying B2B components and services through the LANGE.RED e-cosystem. The B2B portfolio includes certified power electronics, the RED.3 battery management system, charging devices, and electronic drive control systems for electric aircraft propulsion. Additionally, the Flying Lab Development service offers a 6-motor research platform (Antares E2) for long-duration missions up to 20 hours. The company also developed the Antares H2, the world's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered piloted aircraft to complete a full flight on fuel cell energy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Antares: Brand name for High Performance Electric Aircraft series, including Antares 21E, Antares 23E, and Antares H2 hydrogen-powered variant.
- LANGE.RED
- Antares RED.3
- Flying Lab
Products and services
- Antares 21E High-performance electric motor glider with autonomous self-launch capability, reaching 5,600 meters altitude, featuring advanced aerodynamics and the Antares RED.3 battery system. Sold to private pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
- Antares 23E
Quantifiable outcome
- First EASA-certified electric aircraft (Antares 20E, 2003/2004)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lange Aviation
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lange Aviation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Lange Aviation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TU Munich (Chair of Flight System Dynamics)coreAcademic partnership for flight system dynamics research and development, contributing to the scientific foundation of electric aircraft performance.
- Dresden University of Technology (Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology)coreResearch partnership for lightweight engineering and advanced polymer technology for aircraft structures.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical TechnologycorePartnership for chemical technology research related to battery systems and advanced materials for aviation.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISBcorePartnership for electronic systems and device technology research for power electronics and control systems.
- Boeing (Phantom Works)coreStrategic development partnership with Boeing Phantom Works for advanced aviation technology.
- German Aerospace Center (DLR)coreDevelopment partnership for hydrogen fuel cell aircraft, resulting in the Antares H2 - the first piloted aircraft to fly exclusively on fuel cell power.
- Lange Research Aircraft GmbHcoreIndependent sister company developing the Antares E2 with 23-meter wingspan and expected range of up to 3,000 kilometers for commercial applications.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lange Aviation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pipistrel: Slovenian electric LSA and motor-glider manufacturer (Velis Electro, Taurus Electro) directly comparable to Lange's Antares self-launching motor glider in product category, customer base, and EASA-certified electric propulsion.
- Bye Aerospace: US manufacturer of electric training and general aviation aircraft (eFlyer 2/4); competes in the same electric fixed-wing general aviation space with a focus on certified pilot training aircraft.
- Eviation Aircraft: Developer of the all-electric Alice commuter aircraft; another early-mover in certified electric fixed-wing aviation competing for the same electric-aviation regulatory and customer mindshare Lange targets.
- H55 S.A. Swiss electric aviation propulsion spin-off from Solar Impulse offering certified battery-electric propulsion systems for general aviation and commuter aircraft; comparable as a focused electric-propulsion technology supplier.
- magniX: Developer of electric propulsion systems for aircraft (magni250, magni650); directly comparable as a B2B supplier of certified electric powertrains to aircraft OEMs, mirroring Lange's LANGE.RED e-cosystem model.
Broad incumbents
- Airbus: Major airframer with active ZEROe hydrogen-electric and electric-taxi programs; relevant incumbent whose partnership or supplier decisions shape which propulsion technology suppliers (including smaller players like Lange) capture next-gen program value.
- Safran Electrical & Power: Tier-one aerospace propulsion and power systems incumbent; overlaps with Lange's power electronics and drive control offerings as a much larger, broad-portfolio competitor and potential customer.
- Rolls-Royce Electrical: Established aerospace propulsion group investing heavily in electric and hybrid-electric propulsion; broad incumbent whose electrification roadmap competes for the same tier-one programs Lange's LANGE.RED targets.
Emerging players
- Heart Aerospace: Swedish developer of the ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft; overlaps with Lange's battery/hybrid-electric propulsion roadmap and targets commercial aviation sustainability demand.
- ZeroAvia: UK/US hydrogen-electric powertrain developer for regional aircraft; partially competes with Lange's hydrogen fuel cell Antares H2 capability and targets a similar zero-emission aviation wedge.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lange Aviation social profiles
Digital presenceLange Aviation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lange Aviation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Lange Aviation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lange Aviation 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 Lange Aviation
What does Lange Aviation do?
Lange Aviation designs, manufactures, and sells EASA-certified electric performance aircraft, principally the Antares series of self-launching motor gliders (Antares 21E and Antares 23E). Through its LANGE.RED e-cosystem, it also sells certified electric propulsion components — battery management systems, power electronics, charging devices, and electronic drive controls — to other aircraft manufacturers and eVTOL developers, and operates a Flying Lab research platform (Antares E2) for long-duration missions.
Is Lange Aviation a public or private company?
Lange Aviation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lange Aviation founded?
Lange Aviation was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lange Aviation based?
Lange Aviation is headquartered in Zweibrücken, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Lange Aviation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Electric Aircraft Sales are the primary driver. The others are B2B Industrial Components & Services, training & After-Sales Services and flying Development Lab.
Who are Lange Aviation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pipistrel, Bye Aerospace, Eviation Aircraft, H55 S.A. and magniX. Broad incumbents are Airbus, Safran Electrical & Power and Rolls-Royce Electrical. Emerging players are Heart Aerospace and ZeroAvia.
Does Lange Aviation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lange Aviation.
What industry is Lange Aviation in?
Lange Aviation's product category is Electric Aircraft Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAAAG, Glider & Sailplane Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMABADAH, Electric & Hybrid-Electric Propulsion (eVTOL/Regional). Its NAICS code is 336411 and its SIC code is 3721.