Vaeridion has opened its first production hangar and test facility at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport (EDMO), marking a step as the German electric aircraft developer enters its next phase of growth.

The new site moves the programme beyond R&D into production and industrialisation of the technologies underpinning its nine-passenger Microliner. The facility establishes the foundation for first flight and future serial production.

Its location at Oberpfaffenhofen, a key German aerospace hub with experimental flight testing capability, enables direct integration with flight operations, testing infrastructure and industrial partners. This supports progression from laboratory development to certifiable, flight-ready systems while reinforcing collaboration across the regional aerospace cluster.

The opening ceremony brought together representatives from government, industry and the aerospace ecosystem alongside Vaeridion’s partners and team. The site was inaugurated by Dr Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and Minister of State for Federal and Media Affairs.

“The opening of Vaeridion's new production and test hangar in Oberpfaffenhofen sends a strong signal for Bavaria as a hub of innovation. With its battery-electric regional aircraft, the Microliner, the company is playing a decisive role in advancing the future of emission-free aviation and demonstrating the tremendous potential of Bavarian high-tech startups,” says Dr Florian Herrmann, Bavarian State Chancellery.

“The opening of this facility marks a decisive step for Vaeridion as we move from advanced development into production and flight testing,” adds Ivor van Dartel, CEO and co-founder of Vaeridion. “Bavaria, and Oberpfaffenhofen in particular, offers a unique ecosystem where industrial partners, research institutions, regulators and flight operations come together. This environment is essential for bringing a commercial electric aircraft to market, and we are proud to be building the next phase of our journey here.”

The facility will act as Vaeridion’s primary production and assembly hub for airborne battery systems and as the central testing location for the Microliner ahead of first flight. It includes infrastructure tailored for high-voltage battery testing.

The site also consolidates R&D, production and testing activities for the wider electric propulsion system. An electric propulsion test rig, referred to as the “copper bird”, will support ongoing system validation.