International Aviation Supply, a Brindisi-based company which manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones, is to set up a plant in Malta with an initial investment of €2.7 million, The Times Business has learned.
The 2,000 square metre Malta plant, which will employ 15 people, is to be based in Safi, near the Medavia aviation company. Malta Industrial Parks, which manages industrial estates, has in fact applied for additional land in Safi with the intention of creating an aviation park to cater for other similar companies.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech told The Times Business: "We believe there is a huge potential in the aviation sector and such a company gives Malta high value added. We are very well placed in the market to service such industries and we are also in discussions with other aviation companies which could set up a plant in Malta. Our agreement with International Aviation Supply is very good news particularly in view of the current economic climate."
The Italian company, which conducts research and prototype testing of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the manufacture of drones, is to retain its Brindisi plant, which employs 35 people. While the Italian plant will continue to manufacture large drones, the Malta plant will manufacture smaller ones and will also conduct research into unmanned aircraft.
International Aviation Supply caters for both civilian and military clients. It was founded in 1985 and started off as a worldwide spare parts supplier and in 2005 it invested into research for the promotion and use of unmanned civilian aircrafts.
It currently encompasses the design, manufacture, integration, testing and commercialisation of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles - a small range UAV Pico, the tactical platform Raffaello, the VSTOL UAV Pitagora, and the medium range UAV Archimede.
"The characteristics of these integrated technological solutions are designed to provide the widest versatility and maximum dependability, resulting in a resource more suited to the numerous requirements in critical situations and for numerous civil applications which need surveillance and accurate reconnaissance in real time," a company statement said.
The 2,000 square metre Malta plant, which will employ 15 people, is to be based in Safi, near the Medavia aviation company. Malta Industrial Parks, which manages industrial estates, has in fact applied for additional land in Safi with the intention of creating an aviation park to cater for other similar companies.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech told The Times Business: "We believe there is a huge potential in the aviation sector and such a company gives Malta high value added. We are very well placed in the market to service such industries and we are also in discussions with other aviation companies which could set up a plant in Malta. Our agreement with International Aviation Supply is very good news particularly in view of the current economic climate."
The Italian company, which conducts research and prototype testing of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the manufacture of drones, is to retain its Brindisi plant, which employs 35 people. While the Italian plant will continue to manufacture large drones, the Malta plant will manufacture smaller ones and will also conduct research into unmanned aircraft.
International Aviation Supply caters for both civilian and military clients. It was founded in 1985 and started off as a worldwide spare parts supplier and in 2005 it invested into research for the promotion and use of unmanned civilian aircrafts.
It currently encompasses the design, manufacture, integration, testing and commercialisation of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles - a small range UAV Pico, the tactical platform Raffaello, the VSTOL UAV Pitagora, and the medium range UAV Archimede.
"The characteristics of these integrated technological solutions are designed to provide the widest versatility and maximum dependability, resulting in a resource more suited to the numerous requirements in critical situations and for numerous civil applications which need surveillance and accurate reconnaissance in real time," a company statement said.