VÆRIDION officially opened its first production hangar and test facility at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport (EDMO), marking a major milestone as the company enters its next phase of growth. With the new site, VÆRIDION is moving from the R&D phase into the production and industrialization of the key enabling technologies behind its 100% electric Microliner. The facility will lay the foundation for the aircraft’s first flight and future serial production.
Strategic Location Enables Experimental Flight Testing and Industry Collaboration
Strategically located at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport, one of Germany’s key aerospace hubs and one of the few locations in Germany where experimental flight testing is possible, the hangar enables close integration with flight operations, testing infrastructure, and industrial partners. This positions VÆRIDION ideally to scale its technology from laboratory development to certified, flight-ready systems. The site also opens new opportunities for collaboration within the local aerospace cluster, strengthening ties across industry, research, and regulatory stakeholders.
Bavarian State Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann Inaugurates Facility
The opening ceremony brought together representatives from government, industry, and the aerospace ecosystem, alongside VÆRIDION’s partners and team. The facility was inaugurated by Dr. Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and Minister of State for Federal and Media Affairs, who highlighted the importance of scaling innovative companies and strengthening Bavaria’s role as a hub for groundbreaking technologies and aerospace innovation.
“The opening of VÆRIDION’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,” said Dr. Florian Herrmann. “Across the Free State of Bavaria, around 550 companies and 65,000 employees are working in the aerospace sector. At the same time, we are building Europe’s largest faculty for aerospace at the Technical University of Munich. Through the Hightech Agenda Bavaria, we are investing a total of €7 billion in research and science, creating the best possible conditions for forward-looking pioneering projects. These are exactly the kinds of ideas and companies we need to make mobility more sustainable and to remain at the forefront of global technological development. VÆRIDION is an important part of Bavaria’s aerospace ecosystem and another jewel in Bavaria’s ‘Space Valley.'”
“A Decisive Step” – CEO Ivor van Dartel on Moving from R&D to Production
“The opening of this facility marks a decisive step for VÆRIDION as we move from advanced development into production and flight testing,” said Ivor van Dartel, CEO and Co-Founder of VÆRIDION. “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.”
Facility to Produce Airborne Battery Systems and Support First Flight Testing
The new facility will serve as VÆRIDION’s primary production and assembly hub for its proprietary airborne battery systems and as the central testing location for the Microliner in preparation for its first flight. The hangar is equipped with state-of-the-art safety and technology infrastructure specifically designed for high-voltage battery testing.
