Aero Team Eindhoven

What Aero Team Eindhoven does

Aero Team Eindhoven is a volunteer student team at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) developing an In-Air Battery-Swap system for autonomous electric aircraft. The team is targeting the air cargo industry, where range limitations of current battery technologies have prevented sector electrification despite significant carbon emissions. Its technology stack comprises the Aegle electric cargo plane (a 3D-printed quad-plane with five motors delivering up to 8kg thrust each, powered by a 10000mAh 12S 44.4V battery pack providing 18 minutes of hover or up to one hour of forward flight), a Battery-Swap Mechanism using Pogo pin electrical connections and a belt-and-linear-bearing actuation system, and a Drone-to-Car Docking System that autonomously lands the aircraft on a vehicle-mounted platform and completes battery exchange without human intervention (demonstrated June 16, 2026). Eight engineering sub-teams — covering control systems, computer vision, PCB design, mechanical design, telemetry/IT, test flight/avionics, battery, and mechatronics — execute the work alongside business functions for external relations, finance, PR, and HR.

The organization operates as a non-commercial R&D initiative. It does not sell products or services and does not generate revenue; all 40 student members across 13 countries and 9 academic disciplines are unpaid volunteers, with 3 board members prioritizing team work over studies. Resource funding is delivered through a tiered corporate sponsorship structure: Mission Partners (TU/e and TU/e Innovation Space), Flight Crew partners (KPN, STMicroelectronics, Mitsubishi Chemical MC MCE, maxon, Bossard, UAM Hub, Innoptus, Onshape, PCB Connect Group, Aisler, Volz Servos, Würth Elektronik, Twente Airport, Lab76), and Ground Crew partners (Bomist, OpenProject, Zoomworks). Go-to-market is partnership- and licensing-oriented: the team explicitly positions the technology for potential licensing to aerospace, automotive, and public transport companies rather than direct sales. Awareness channels are the team website (aeroteameindhoven.nl), newsletter signup, social media, and annual End Event demonstrations at TU/e.

Name

Aero Team Eindhoven

Legal name

Aero Team Eindhoven

Website

https://aeroteameindhoven.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aero Team Eindhoven is a volunteer student team at Eindhoven University of Technology developing an autonomous In-Air Battery-Swap system for electric cargo drones, targeting the air cargo industry with a 3D-printed drone platform and a demonstrated Drone-to-Car autonomous docking and battery-exchange capability, funded through a tiered corporate sponsorship ecosystem rather than commercial sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Aviation Technology

NAICS

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

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft (3721), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms (IMABAIAC), Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), UAS Power Systems & Propulsion (Motors, ESCs, Batteries, Fuel Cells) (IMABAIAK), Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy) (HDAAAIAG)

Keywords

• Electric cargo drones
• In-air battery swap
• Autonomous drone docking
• 3D-printed aircraft
• Urban air mobility

Headquarters

HQ city

Eindhoven

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research and Development Services: As a student research team, the organization does not currently generate commercial revenue. They operate through volunteer contributions from students and partnerships with industry sponsors who provide resources, materials, and funding for R&D activities. The team is exploring potential applications for their Battery-Swap technology in aviation, automotive, and public transport industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aero Team Eindhoven develops prototype technology for autonomous electric cargo drones, centered on an in-air Battery-Swap System that allows a UAV to exchange depleted batteries mid-flight without landing. The team's flagship platform is the Aegle electric cargo aircraft, paired with a Drone-to-Car Docking System that enables autonomous rendezvous with a moving ground vehicle. The organization operates as a non-profit student engineering team and does not commercially sell its products.

Product overview

Aero Team Eindhoven is a student team from TU/e developing an integrated drone technology platform focused on the world's first In-Air Battery-Swap system for electric aviation. Their product portfolio consists of four interconnected offerings: Aegle, a 3D-printed electric cargo plane serving as the aircraft platform; the Battery-Swap Mechanism, a rapid exchange system for in-air battery swapping; the Drone-to-Car Docking System enabling autonomous landing and battery exchange; and the overarching In-Air Battery-Swap System that ties these components together to enable continuous electric flight operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aegle: A state-of-the-art electric cargo plane with 3D-printed construction and modular design. Features five motors in quad-plane configuration with up to 8kg thrust each, 10000mAh 12S battery, 18 minutes hover flight time or up to 1 hour forward flight.
• Battery-Swap Mechanism

Products and services

• Aegle The Aegle is an electric cargo aircraft prototype developed by the Aero Team Eindhoven student team as the airframe platform for demonstrating in-air battery-swapping and autonomous Drone-to-Car docking. It is intended for use within the team's research and demonstration program, not as a commercially sold product.
• Battery-Swap Mechanism The Battery-Swap Mechanism is a hardware subsystem that physically exchanges depleted battery packs on the drone with charged ones in flight, removing the need to land for recharging. It is developed by the student team as part of its In-Air Battery-Swap System research project and is not sold commercially.
• Drone-to-Car Docking System The Drone-to-Car Docking System is a hardware and software capability that allows the autonomous drone to rendezvous with and land on a moving ground vehicle using computer-vision-based precision targeting, enabling mid-flight battery exchange. It was developed by the student team and demonstrated publicly; it is not sold commercially.
• In-Air Battery-Swap System The In-Air Battery-Swap System is the team's integrated product concept combining the Aegle aircraft, the Battery-Swap Mechanism, and the Drone-to-Car Docking System to enable persistent autonomous electric cargo flight without ground landings. It is the central technology concept developed and demonstrated by Aero Team Eindhoven.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18 minutes hover flight time or up to 1 hour continuous forward flight with 10000mAh 12S battery
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered mission partner, flight crew and ground crew.

• Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)mission partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institution backing Aero Team Eindhoven. The team is the official student team of TU/e. TU/e provides academic support, facilities, and institutional resources for the team's R&D activities in autonomous drone technology.
• TU/e Innovation Spacemission partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovationSpace program supporting student projects and innovation. Partners with the team for project development and organizes recruitment events for student involvement.
• Bossardflight crewTechnology or IntegrationFastening and assembly technology provider supporting the team as a Flight Crew partner. Likely providing connection and assembly solutions for drone components.
• UAM (Urban Air Mobility Hub)flight crewTechnology or IntegrationUrban Air Mobility ecosystem partner on the High Tech Campus, supporting the team with industry connections and expertise in advanced air mobility solutions.
• Innoptusflight crewTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner supporting the team with advanced solutions for their drone and battery-swap development.
• KPNflight crewTechnology or IntegrationDutch telecommunications company providing connectivity and communication technology support for the team.
• Onshapeflight crewTechnology or IntegrationCAD software provider supporting 3D design and modeling for Aegle drone and battery-swap mechanism development.
• Mitsubishi Chemical (MC MCE)flight crewTechnology or IntegrationMaterials science company providing advanced materials for drone construction and components.
• maxonflight crewTechnology or IntegrationPrecision motor manufacturer providing DC motors for the battery-swap mechanism's belt and linear bearing system.
• PCB Connect Groupflight crewTechnology or IntegrationElectronics manufacturing services provider supporting PCB design and production for control systems and battery management.
• STMicroelectronicsflight crewTechnology or IntegrationSemiconductor manufacturer providing microcontrollers and electronic components for drone control systems.
• Aislerflight crewTechnology or IntegrationElectronics prototyping and manufacturing service supporting PCB development for the team.
• Volz Servosflight crewTechnology or IntegrationServo motor manufacturer providing actuation components for drone control surfaces and mechanisms.
• Würth Elektronikflight crewTechnology or IntegrationElectronic and electromechanical components distributor supporting the team with connectors, passives, and other electronic parts.
• Twente Airportflight crewStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional airport providing potential flight testing facilities and aviation industry connections.
• Lab76flight crewTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner supporting the team with engineering solutions and expertise.
• Bomistground crewTechnology or IntegrationGround crew partner providing support services and solutions for the team's operations.
• OpenProjectground crewTechnology or IntegrationProject management software provider supporting team coordination and project tracking.
• Zoomworksground crewTechnology or IntegrationGround crew partner supporting team operations and logistics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Archer Aviation: eVTOL aircraft developer pursuing urban air mobility with electric vertical takeoff aircraft. Comparable as a competitor pursuing autonomous electric aviation commercialization with overlapping battery technology and autonomous flight challenges.
• Matternet: Drone delivery operator specializing in medical and commercial cargo using autonomous electric multirotor aircraft. Directly comparable in autonomous electric drone cargo delivery use case, with similar regulatory and battery-range constraints.
• Volocopter: eVTOL air taxi developer based in the broader European ecosystem, pursuing commercial urban air mobility with electric vertical takeoff aircraft. Comparable in targeting autonomous electric flight for cargo and passenger use cases and operating in the same regulatory/technology landscape.
• Lilium: Developer of electric jet-powered eVTOL aircraft for regional air mobility. Comparable as an electric aviation platform pursuer tackling the same battery range and autonomy challenges, though at much larger scale and capital intensity.
• Skydio: US-based autonomous drone manufacturer focused on commercial, defense, and public safety applications with sophisticated computer vision and autonomous navigation. Comparable in autonomy stack (computer vision-based autonomous flight and docking) for UAS platforms.
• Zipline: Drone delivery operator using autonomous electric fixed-wing and multirotor aircraft to move cargo. Directly comparable as a battery-electric autonomous drone delivery platform tackling the same range limitation Aero Team Eindhoven aims to solve with in-air battery swap.
• BETA Technologies: Electric aviation company developing eVTOL aircraft and supporting charging infrastructure for cargo and passenger markets. Comparable in addressing the range and charging bottleneck of electric aviation, with a comparable integrated platform approach.
• Joby Aviation: Developer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxis targeting urban air mobility and air cargo. Directly comparable as an electric aviation platform developer pursuing autonomous flight and commercial deployment, with overlapping challenges around battery range and autonomous operation.

Emerging players

• Ample: Modular battery swap technology provider for electric vehicles, pursuing automotive and fleet applications. Comparable as a cross-sector peer in battery-swap technology architecture, demonstrating commercial viability of swap-based energy distribution that Aero Team Eindhoven is adapting to aerial platforms.

Broad incumbents

• Wing (Alphabet): Alphabet-owned commercial drone delivery service operating autonomous electric aircraft for last-mile cargo. Comparable as a well-capitalized incumbent deploying autonomous electric drones at scale, with overlapping mission of electrifying air cargo delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aeroteamehv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Aero Team Eindhoven