Cicaré

What Cicaré does

Cicaré S.A. is a privately held, family-controlled Argentine helicopter manufacturer with R&D roots dating to 1958, when founder Augusto Cicaré built the CH-1, the first helicopter developed in the southern hemisphere. The company was formally incorporated as Cicaré Helicópteros S.A. in 1993 and re-established in its current series-production form as Cicaré S.A. in 2005 — the first helicopter series development and production plant in Latin America. Headquartered in Saladillo, Buenos Aires Province, with 101–250 employees, the firm is now led by the founder's family following Augusto Cicaré's death in 2022, with Juan Manuel Cicaré as President.

The product portfolio centers on ultralight helicopters (Cicaré 7 series in 7B/7T/7BT variants and the Cicaré 8 two-seater) powered by Rotax 912/914/915 engines, the Cicaré Trainer ground-based flight simulator, the RUAS-160 counter-rotating coaxial UAV (developed with INVAP and Marinelli Technology), an agricultural Aerial Application Kit, and concept-stage programs including the Cicaré eTrainer (electric) and Cicaré 11 VS (hybrid helicopter/fixed-wing). Cicaré's technology base includes patented main rotor command systems (control bars routed through the mast), semi-rigid to counter-rotating rotor configurations, carbon fiber cockpit cabins, and a centrifugal clutch with autorotation safety. The lineup spans 115 kg single-seaters to 1,400 kg two-seaters, with 35% lower fuel consumption than comparable aircraft.

Cicaré generates revenue primarily through direct hardware sales routed via a global distributor network — Cicaré USA (Reno, NV), Cicaré Europe (Mainz, Germany), AeroJones Taiwan, and AeroJones Xiamen (China) — supplemented by direct export relationships to Australia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and the Middle East. Pricing is opaque and quote-based, varying by configuration and engine selection. Customer segments span private/sport pilots, flight training institutions, agricultural service providers, and government/defense clients including the Argentine Army and Argentine Air Force. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, parent company, or public listing evident in source materials.

Name

Cicaré

Legal name

Cicaré S.A.

Website

https://cicare.com.ar

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cicaré is an Argentine ultralight helicopter manufacturer producing the Cicaré 7 and 8 series, ground-based flight trainers, and UAV systems. Family-controlled since 1958, the company serves sport pilots, flight training institutions, agricultural operators, and government/defense clients through a global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ultralight Helicopter Manufacturing

NAICS

Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) & Multirotor Drones (IMABAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Manned Aerial Application (Fixed-Wing & Helicopter Crop Dusting) (AFACAIAA), Aerial Application Drones & UAS Spray Systems (AFAAADAB)

Keywords

• Ultralight helicopters
• Helicopter manufacturing
• Flight training simulators
• Unmanned aerial vehicles
• Aerial application systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Saladillo

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Helicopter Sales: Direct sale of ultralight helicopters including Cicaré 7 (various configurations: 7B, 7T, 7BT), Cicaré 8, and Cicaré Trainer. One-time purchase model with various engine options.
2. UAV Systems (RUAS-160): Sale of unmanned aerial vehicle systems with various payload configurations including gyro-stabilized platforms, LiDAR, SAR radar, and agricultural spray modules.
3. Flight Training Equipment: Sale of Cicaré Trainer ground-based helicopter training platforms with electronic safety systems and mobile application for instructor monitoring.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cicaré designs, manufactures and sells ultralight and light helicopters (Cicaré 8 side-by-side two-seater and the Cicaré 7 family of single-seater and tandem variants), a ground-based helicopter flight training platform (Cicaré Trainer), and unmanned aerial vehicle systems (RUAS-160). The company also sells aerial application kits adaptable to its helicopters for agricultural spraying. All products are developed and produced at its Saladillo, Argentina facility using proprietary rotor and airframe technologies.

Product overview

Cicaré is an Argentine helicopter manufacturer with over 60 years of R&D history, producing a portfolio of ultralight and light helicopters for sports, training, and commercial applications. The core product family includes the Cicaré 8 (side-by-side two-seater) and Cicaré 7 series (with 7B, 7T, 7BT variants), alongside the Cicaré Trainer ground-based flight simulator. The company also develops unmanned systems through the RUAS-160 UAV platform and is working on future concepts including the Cicaré 11 VS hybrid aircraft and Cicaré eTrainer electric training helicopter. All models feature proprietary rotor technologies including semi-rigid and counter-rotating configurations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cicaré 7: Ultralight single-seater and two-seater tandem helicopter for sports use, powered by Rotax 912 and 914 engines. Includes variants: 7B (single-seater with Rotax 912), 7T (tandem two-seater with Rotax 914), 7BT (single-seater with turbo Rotax 914).
• Cicaré 8
• Cicaré Trainer
• RUAS-160
• Cicaré 11 VS

Products and services

• Cicaré 8 Ultralight two-seater side-by-side helicopter with semi-rigid rotor, available with Rotax 915 IS or EPA POWER 917 Ti engines. Features carbon fiber cockpit and dual 32-liter fuel tanks providing 2.5 hours flight time; the EPA-certified variant is approved for commercial use in Germany and extended across Europe, South America, Oceania and Latin America.
• Cicaré 7 Ultralight helicopter family for sports use, offered in single-seater and two-seater tandem configurations powered by Rotax 912 (99 HP) or Rotax 914 (114 HP) engines. Features an ergonomic cabin with 180+ degree visibility. Includes variants 7B, 7T and 7BT.
• Cicaré 7B Single-seater ultralight helicopter powered by Rotax 912 engine (73 kW / 99 HP). Entry-level model in the Cicaré 7 family, first exported to Australia in 2012.
• Cicaré 7T Two-seat tandem configuration helicopter powered by Rotax 914 engine (84 kW / 114 HP), featuring extendable cyclic and pedals allowing transformation of the passenger seat into a co-pilot station.
• Cicaré 7BT Single-seater ultralight helicopter powered by Rotax 914 turbo engine, offering higher MTOW, higher service ceiling and increased power compared to the standard 7B model.
• Cicaré Trainer Helicopter on a grounded mobile platform with pneumatic cylinder air compression system, allowing all flight movements with total control and safety. Reduces training costs by 60-80% compared to traditional helicopter training; integrated Android-based instructor dashboard enables real-time monitoring, emergency simulation and operation abort.
• RUAS-160 Compact modular counter-rotating coaxial rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System developed jointly with INVAP and Marinelli Technology. Includes ground console for monitoring and control and configurable payload options such as EO/IR sensors, LiDAR, SAR radar, multispectral cameras and agricultural spray modules for surface measurement, aerial imaging, power line inspection, forest fire control and border patrol.
• Aerial Application Kit Agricultural aerial application kit adaptable to all Cicaré helicopter models. 80-liter capacity covering up to 30 hectares without replenishment for fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% less fuel consumption than comparable aircraft
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• INVAPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint development partnership for RUAS-160A counter-rotating UAV system. INVAP, an Argentine high-technology company, collaborates with Cicaré on unmanned aerial vehicle development combining Cicaré's helicopter expertise with INVAP's technological capabilities.
• Marinelli TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint development partnership for RUAS-160A UAV system. Marinelli Technology contributes to the development of the compact, modular rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle system with counter-rotating coaxial rotors.
• AeroJones (Taiwan)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial distributor for Taiwan market. Located at No. 5, Keyuan 1st Rd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan. Provides sales and technical service for Cicaré products in Taiwan.
• AeroJones (Xiamen)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial distributor for China market. Located at No. 8-10, Tianfeng Rd., Jimei North Zone 361021, Xiamen, China. Provides sales and technical service for Cicaré products in China.
• Cicaré USAregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial distributor for North American market. Located at No. 5800 Aerie Way, Reno, NV 89510, USA. Provides sales and technical service for Cicaré products in USA.
• Cicaré EuroperegionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial distributor for European market. Located at Mainz Airfield [EDFZ] 55126, Mainz, Germany. Provides sales and technical service for Cicaré products in Europe.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• DJI: Chinese global leader in commercial drones (Mavic, Matrice, Agras agricultural spray series). Comparable to Cicaré through the agricultural UAV application kit and broader UAV market overlap, though DJI dominates the multirotor consumer/commercial drone space where Cicaré does not currently compete.
• Schiebel: Austrian manufacturer of the Camcopter S-100 unmanned helicopter system. Comparable to Cicaré through the RUAS-160 UAV — both produce counter-rotating coaxial rotor UAVs for surveillance, inspection, and government applications, making Schiebel a direct competitor in the unmanned rotary-wing segment.

Direct peers

• MD Helicopters: Arizona-based manufacturer of light helicopters (MD 500, MD 530, MD 902). Comparable to Cicaré as a niche helicopter OEM focused on light rotorcraft for military, law enforcement, and commercial markets, with overlapping product positioning in the sub-2-ton helicopter segment.
• Robinson Helicopter Company: Torrance, California-based manufacturer of the R22, R44, and R66 — the global volume leader in light two-seat helicopters. Robinson is the most direct functional comparable to Cicaré because both focus on small, piston/hybrid-powered helicopters for training, private, and entry-level commercial use, largely selling below heavy-factory competitors.
• Enstrom Helicopter: Michigan-based manufacturer of light piston and turbine helicopters (F-28, 280, 480). Enstrom is a small specialist helicopter OEM directly comparable to Cicaré in scale, product line (light helicopters for training and private use), and target customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Bell: Major helicopter OEM producing the 505 Jet Ranger X, 407, 429, and V-22. Bell is a broad incumbent comparing to Cicaré through overlapping light-helicopter offerings (e.g., 505 competes with Cicaré 8 in the light two-seat segment) but operates at vastly greater scale and with full FAA type certification.
• Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin): Manufacturer of the S-76, S-92, and various military rotorcraft. Comparable to Cicaré as a helicopter OEM, though Sikorsky operates at substantially larger scale and across heavier helicopter classes primarily serving commercial, oil-and-gas, and military markets.
• Airbus Helicopters: World's largest helicopter manufacturer (H125, H130, H135, H145, H160, H175, H215, NH90). Comparable to Cicaré as a competing helicopter OEM with overlapping product categories in light helicopters (H125/H130 compete with Cicaré 7/8) but with vastly broader portfolio and global footprint.
• Leonardo Helicopters: Italian helicopter OEM producing the AW09 (formerly AW109 Trekker), AW139, AW189, and various military rotorcraft. Comparable to Cicaré as a helicopter manufacturer with overlapping light-segment offerings (AW09), though Leonardo operates at much larger scale and broader product breadth.

Regional players

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL): Indian state-owned aerospace manufacturer producing the Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, and Light Combat Helicopter. Comparable to Cicaré as a domestic helicopter OEM with a strong domestic military and government customer base, but operating primarily in the Indian market rather than competing directly in Latin America, Europe, or the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CICARESA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CICARE.S.A
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cicare-s-a-
• Instagraminstagram.com/cicare_sa?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Xx.com/cicare_sa

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 Cicaré