The strategy forms part of EDGE’s effort to establish an integrated propulsion capability for its expanding range of aerospace and autonomous systems. POWERTECH will supply engines to other EDGE companies while offering purpose-built propulsion systems to customers in the UAE and international markets.
“POWERTECH is EDGE Group’s centre of excellence for propulsion systems for drones, missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles in general,” chief executive Marian Lubieniecki told Defence Industry Europe. “We are a global company, and that is why we are here in Kielce.”
Lubieniecki outlined the company’s plans during an interview at the MSPO international defence exhibition in Poland. POWERTECH was making its first appearance at the event, where it held talks with potential customers, suppliers and industrial partners.
EDGE launched POWERTECH in February 2025 to develop and manufacture high-performance aero engines and complete propulsion systems. The company was established to serve both civil aerospace and defence customers amid growing international demand driven by the expansion of aircraft and autonomous platforms.
POWERTECH is intended to strengthen EDGE’s wider portfolio by supplying propulsion systems tailored to the group’s unmanned aerial vehicles and other autonomous products. The company will also market flexible, application-specific engines to customers outside the group.
“The launch of POWERTECH represents a strategic move to enter the global propulsion market while enhancing EDGE’s capabilities across aerospace and autonomous systems,” Khaled Al Zaabi, EDGE’s president for Platforms and Systems, said when the company was launched. “By developing tailored, application-specific solutions, we are strengthening our market position and creating new opportunities for innovation and collaboration.”
“This approach also underscores our ambition to build a robust and sustainable manufacturing ecosystem in the UAE,” Al Zaabi added. EDGE said the new business would support the UAE’s industrial strategy while pursuing opportunities in domestic and international markets.
POWERTECH’s core strategy is to create its own intellectual property rather than build its portfolio primarily around acquired licences. Its propulsion systems are developed internally at operations in the UAE and Italy.
“Our main activity is building our own IP,” Lubieniecki said. “All the products we currently offer and discuss with customers have been created by POWERTECH.”
The company’s UAE operation focuses on turbojet engines, while its research and development facility in Italy develops piston engines. POWERTECH is also establishing the engineering, production and support infrastructure needed to manage its products throughout their operational lives.
“We are on track to become a full-scale propulsion company covering the entire product life cycle, from technology development through product development and production to servicing and final customer support,” Lubieniecki said. “That is the objective, and it is already being implemented to a large extent with our first products.”
POWERTECH’s piston-engine portfolio includes units rated at 10, 80 and 145 horsepower. Lubieniecki said the engines were intended primarily for high-end surveillance drones requiring reliability and long operating lives.
The company is also preparing lower-cost engines for expendable platforms, a segment experiencing strong customer interest. Its strategy is to adapt performance, reliability and price to the platform, mission duration, operating altitude and customer requirements.
“We want to listen to the customer, and we know that customers are very different,” Lubieniecki said. “We adapt our products to these different requirements because it depends on the platform, the duration of the mission, the altitude and how the propulsion system will operate.”
Some customers require highly reliable engines for premium systems, including platforms launched from aircraft. Others prioritise low unit costs for weapons or drones designed for a single mission.
POWERTECH’s turbojet portfolio includes engines rated at 450 N and 1,000 N of continuous thrust for drone and missile applications. The company is also working on a larger turbofan engine and expects to add a 4700 N of thrust unit to its full product range.
The product mix reflects POWERTECH’s aim to serve both EDGE’s internal requirements and a broader international customer base. Bringing engine development into the group also gives EDGE greater control over a component that directly affects the range, performance and cost of its autonomous platforms.
Europe is a central part of POWERTECH’s international ambitions, with Poland emerging as a potential production and supply-chain location. Lubieniecki said the country offered established aerospace expertise, research capabilities and proximity to prospective customers.
“We are a global company and want to be present in every important market where things are happening,” he said. “A great deal is happening in Poland and Europe, so we are considering various options.”
POWERTECH sees room in Poland’s defence market for an additional propulsion supplier, particularly in engines for uncrewed platforms. Lubieniecki said the country did not have a large domestic producer of either turbojet or piston engines in this segment.
The company has not announced a specific investment or production facility in Poland. It is assessing several options and using discussions with customers and suppliers to build a clearer picture of the market.
Lubieniecki said POWERTECH received a positive response during MSPO, where its representatives remained busy throughout the opening two days. Interest centred on the company’s engine portfolio and its readiness to establish local industrial arrangements.
“We are open to technology transfer and the localisation of production,” Lubieniecki said. “What I can say will certainly happen is that we will have Polish suppliers and partners, because we are already talking to many companies.”
POWERTECH expects to draw on Poland’s manufacturing and research base, including the aerospace cluster known as Aviation Valley. It is also looking beyond established aerospace centres for companies that can be brought into the sector.
“We need production capabilities and research and development capabilities, so we know very well what Poland has to offer, and we will make use of it,” Lubieniecki said. “We are also prepared to bring suppliers into this industry.”
That approach could include helping manufacturers with automotive-sector experience meet the requirements of aerospace production. For POWERTECH, it offers a route to expand capacity, establish a European supply chain and support the company’s wider push into the international propulsion market.
