Hans Christian Andersen Airport

What Hans Christian Andersen Airport does

Hans Christian Andersen Airport (HCA Airport) is a municipal-owned airport and business park located 10 km north of Odense, Denmark, jointly owned by Odense and Nordfyns Municipalities as a partnership company (P/S). Founded in 1943 as a wartime airfield, the airport historically served as a regional hub for domestic flights before pivoting to charter operations in 1998 and, more recently, to a specialized drone testing, defence, and business park model. The airport operates across three primary business areas: traditional manned aviation (charter passenger services via Spies and Gislev Rejser, 7,407 passengers and 7,654 flight operations in 2024), the UAS Denmark Test Center (providing approximately 1,900 km² of approved BVLOS airspace, C-UAS facilities, and R&D infrastructure, with 5,552 drone operations in 2024), and a Business Park hosting approximately 30 companies with 100 associated jobs across aviation, drone manufacturing, and technology tenants.

The airport's core technology infrastructure is the regulated BVLOS airspace — one of very few such approved zones in Europe — supported by runways, hangars, a 170-hectare site, and fast approval processes for test flights. The UAS Denmark Test Center offers counter-UAS, R&D, and certification testing services. The Business Park expanded by four hectares in November 2024 (the first expansion in the airport's history) to accommodate growing tenant demand.

HCA Airport generates revenue through usage-based drone testing and flight permit fees, recurring rental income from Business Park tenants, one-time licensing for runway rental (DKK 2,600/hour or DKK 26,000/24 hours ex VAT) and conference facilities (starting from DKK 1,500 ex VAT), and transaction fees from charter passenger operations. Strategically, the airport maintains an annual passenger cap of 10,000 to remain under Danish rather than EU certification rules. Major recent partnerships include Danish Defence (DKK 725M UAS Centre, March 2025), AeroVironment (MOU, June 2025), Thunderstrike Aviation (5,000 m² factory, September 2025), and Dedrone (office, June 2024). 2024 financials showed a loss of DKK 12.99M with net revenue up approximately DKK 600,000 year-on-year, and the 2025 annual report cited 'significant' growth in revenue and primary business areas. The CEO transitioned in 2026 after nine years, with a new director appointed in May 2026.

Name

Hans Christian Andersen Airport

Legal name

Hans Christian Andersen Airport P/S

Website

https://hca-airport.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HCA Airport is a municipal-owned Danish airport operating charter flights, the UAS Denmark Test Center with 1,900 km² of approved BVLOS airspace, and a Business Park hosting 30+ drone, defence, and aviation companies including Thunderstrike Aviation and the Danish Defence UAS Centre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airport Operations

NAICS

Airport Operations (48811), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581), Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation Infrastructure Agencies (Public Airports, Airfield Ops, Ground Access) (BPAIALAE)

Keywords

• Charter flight services
• Drone test center
• BVLOS airspace
• Airport business park
• Conference event venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Odense

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Manned Aviation Operations: Revenue from passenger flights, charter operations, landing fees, and passenger-related services. In 2024, the airport had 7,407 passengers despite strategic limitation to 10,000 annually to avoid EU certification costs.
2. Drone Operations and Testing: Revenue from drone test centre operations, BVLOS flight permits, and testing services. Drone operations grew to 5,552 in 2024 (index 124 vs 2023).
3. Business Park Rental: Rental income from approximately 30 companies located in the airport's Business Park, which expanded by 4 hectares in 2024 to meet growing demand.
4. Runway and Facility Rental: Revenue from renting the runway for filming, test drives, and photography. DKK 2,600 per hour ex VAT (max 5 hours) or DKK 26,000 per 24 hours ex VAT.
5. Conference and Event Services: Revenue from conference room rentals (starting from DKK 1,500 ex VAT) and event hosting services with unique airport facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hans Christian Andersen Airport operates a regional airport in Odense, Denmark, providing charter flight services for leisure travelers, drone testing and BVLOS operations through its UAS Denmark Test Center, and a Business Park hosting approximately 30 aviation and technology companies. The airport combines traditional manned aviation with a dedicated drone ecosystem and commercial facilities.

Product overview

Hans Christian Andersen Airport operates as a multi-faceted airport with three core business areas: traditional manned aviation (charter flights, passenger services, runway operations), the UAS Denmark Test Center (drone testing with BVLOS airspace and 1,900 km2 of dedicated airspace), and a Business Park hosting approximately 30 companies. The airport has transformed from a traditional regional airport into a specialised business and technology hub focused on drones, testing, development and defence. Additional services include conference and event facilities, runway rental for filming and test purposes, and support for advanced air mobility initiatives. The airport is a partnership company owned by Odense and Nordfyns Municipalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UAS Denmark Test Center: Internationally recognized drone test centre offering BVLOS flights, approximately 1,900 km² of dedicated airspace, and advanced testing facilities for drone technologies.

Products and services

• UAS Denmark Test Center
• HCA Airport Business Park Commercial business park on airport grounds housing approximately 30 companies and 100 jobs within both manned and unmanned aviation sectors. Provides office space, hangars, and facilities with direct access to the drone test centre ecosystem.
• Conference and Event Facilities Conference and event venues within the airport terminal, including check-in hall (185 m²), meeting room (32 m², 16 seats), departure hall (140 m²), restaurant (145 m², max 80 diners), and arrival hall (190 m², up to 180 chairs). Available for corporate events, meetings, and conferences with AV equipment and catering.
• Charter Flight Services Traditional airport services including charter flight operations, passenger handling, baggage handling, parking, VIP services, and pilot facilities. Operates under a Danish exemption capping annual passengers at 10,000. Charter flights operated through tour operators Spies and Gislev Rejser to European holiday destinations.
• Runway Rental Runway rental services for filming, photography, test drives, and other special purposes. Charged at DKK 2,600 per hour ex VAT (max 5 hours) or DKK 26,000 per 24-hour period ex VAT, including coordination, guest cards, one airport employee, and NOTAM.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,654 flight operations and 5,552 drone operations in 2024 (both index 124 vs 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thunderstrike AviationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025American drone manufacturer establishing test, development, demonstration, and production centre at HCA Airport. Opened 5,000 m2 drone factory in September 2025, expected to create up to 240 jobs and produce up to 500 drones per year.
• University of Southern Denmark (SDU)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Academic partner with UAS centre at HCA Airport. Provides research capabilities and drone conscript training programs in collaboration with Danish Defence.
• AeroVironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2025HCA Airport and AeroVironment signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore joint utilisation of UAS Denmark Test Center's airspace and advanced test facilities. The agreement aims to support AV's UAS demonstration operations, mission training and customer integration activities across the region. The partnership builds on AV's framework agreement with Danish Ministry of Defence's Defence Materiel and Procurement Agency.
• Danish DefencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2025Danish Defence establishing national drone centre at HCA Airport with approximately DKK 725 million investment. The centre will be responsible for training Defence personnel and development through experience gathering and collaboration with industry and research institutions. Expected to employ around 100 military and civilian employees by 2026.
• DedronecoreTechnology or Integration · 21 June 2024American counterdrone company establishing office at HCA Airport for testing and development tasks at the national drone test centre UAS Denmark Test Center. Dedrone operates in 32 countries worldwide with advanced airspace surveillance and protection technologies.
• Odense RoboticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2023Denmark's national cluster for robotics and drone technology, co-organizer of the International Drone Show together with UAS Denmark Test Center. Represents over 65 partners in the robotics and drone ecosystem.
• Copenhagen HelicopterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2023Partnership to build infrastructure for electrically powered flying taxis (eVTOL) to transport people between Danish cities. First flying taxi expected to arrive before summer, with aim to establish vertipad at Odense Railway Station. Partnership leverages HCA Airport's drone ecosystem for Advanced Air Mobility development.
• SpiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Danish charter tour operator offering direct flights from HCA Airport to holiday destinations including Mallorca, Rhodes, and other European destinations.
• Gislev RejsercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharter tour operator offering flights from HCA Airport to destinations including Croatia, Italy (Naples, Rome, Sorrento), Scotland (Dublin, Edinburgh), France (Provence, Nice, Monaco, Corsica), and Mediterranean cruises.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Copenhagen Airport (CPH): Denmark's primary international hub and listed public company. Operates a vastly different scale and scheduled-airline model, but provides a national benchmark for airport operating economics and Danish aviation infrastructure context.
• Avinor: Norwegian state-owned operator of 43 airports, including regional airports with charter and general-aviation traffic and growing UAS activities. Closest Nordic analog of a publicly-owned multi-airport system exploring drone integration alongside traditional aviation.
• Billund Airport: Denmark's second-largest commercial airport, publicly owned at the regional level with significant charter and leisure traffic. Larger and more commercially focused than HCA, but useful for benchmarking Danish regional-airport commercial models and unit economics.
• Aalborg Airport: Larger Danish regional airport with scheduled and charter operations, owned and operated by Aalborg Municipality. Comparable governance and regional mandate, but on a substantially larger commercial scale than HCA.
• Swedavia: Swedish state-owned operator of 10 national airports including regional facilities with charters and drone operations. Comparable as a publicly-owned Nordic regional airport operator pursuing drone/UAS initiatives, though at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Bornholm Airport: Small Danish publicly-owned island regional airport operating scheduled and charter flights. Closely comparable in scale, municipal ownership, and the operational constraints of being a non-hub Danish airport.
• Esbjerg Airport: Small Danish regional municipal-owned airport offering charter and general aviation. Comparable in size, governance, and traffic composition to HCA, with a similar pivot toward non-traditional revenue streams.
• Sonderborg Airport: Small Danish regional municipal-owned airport with a similar charter-focused service profile and comparable traffic scale to HCA. Among the closest analogues for HCA's traditional aviation and ownership model.
• Dronecenter Sweden: Sweden's national drone test center operating approved BVLOS airspace and test infrastructure. Closest direct comparison for HCA's UAS Denmark Test Center business, competing for the same Nordic drone developer and defense customer base.

Emerging players

• Unmanned Valley: Dutch drone test and innovation ecosystem with dedicated airspace for UAS R&D and an industry cluster model. Comparable as a European emerging drone hub competing for international drone developer tenants and test campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HansChristianAndersenAirport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/odense-airport

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hans Christian Andersen Airport