State-owned company Romaero S.A. and technology start-up Orbotix Industries announced on Friday the signing of an industrial partnership, through a Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at strengthening Romania's security and developing the national defence industry, with plans to produce hundreds of drones each month.

The partnership targets a production capacity of up to 1,500 drones per month, combining Orbotix's advanced technology - including the WASPER-1 and VIGIL-1 platforms, onboard software and artificial intelligence - with Romaero's industrial infrastructure. The state company will handle structural manufacturing and assembly to NATO standards.

'Such partnerships are a model of good practice that should be replicated across many state-owned companies. The private sector needs these kinds of partnerships, and the Romanian state needs a private sector that genuinely contributes to the national defence industry,' Adrian-Felician Cozma, deputy speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and member of the defence committee, said at a conference.

He added that state institutions must become more involved in developing the defence industry.

'State institutions, as providers of security, need to engage much more with the defence industry, take on a proactive role and move beyond being mere buyers on the market to actively supporting our domestic defence sector,' Cozma said.

In turn, Secretary of State Iulian Cosmin Margeloiu said the shift from a consumer of military equipment to a producer and exporter is crucial for Romania's security. He described the initiative as a potential turning point after years of underinvestment in the sector.

Bogdan Ochiana, CEO and co-founder of Orbotix Industries, said the start-up is 'a company with Romanian DNA, 82.5% owned by Romanians, but also backed by German and American investors and with numerous partnerships in Ukraine and other countries'.

'The war in Ukraine has shown that technology fundamentally changes how modern conflicts are fought. Drones, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems have become decisive tools on the battlefield,' Ochiana said, adding that Orbotix Industries has so far secured around eight million euros in funding.

Romaero's special administrator, Speranta Munteanu, said the company contributes a certified industrial platform and skilled workforce, highlighting the need for integrated ecosystems involving industry, universities and research.

According to the signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding, the security architecture of NATO's Eastern Flank is facing major challenges generated by Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, while technological innovation has become the key asset in strengthening resilience in such a complex context.

According to the two companies, the alliance marks 'a decisive step towards strengthening Romania's technological sovereignty' by developing and producing unmanned aerial systems and AI-based solutions domestically, while helping transform the country into a regional hub for defence production and innovation.

The collaboration allows both partners to retain operational autonomy while aligning efforts to meet the needs of the Ministry of National Defence and EU security initiatives. It also has an international dimension, with potential expansion into markets such as Poland, Ukraine and Spain.

Beyond its strategic importance, the partnership is expected to generate wider economic benefits, including the development of local industrial capacity, the creation of specialised jobs, technology transfer and increased investment in advanced technologies. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Cristian Anghelache; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)