A LEADING drone technology firm has completed the takeover of West Wales Airport in Aberporth as part of a major investment drive into autonomous aviation in the UK.
TEKEVER, a Portuguese-based company specialising in unmanned aircraft systems and artificial intelligence, has operated at the Ceredigion airfield since 2023 and has now confirmed its acquisition of the site.
The company, headquartered in Lisbon, uses AI to monitor and predict threats across vast and hard-to-reach areas. Its aircraft are used in defence, including operations in Ukraine, as well as in environmental protection, emergency response, and monitoring critical infrastructure in sectors such as oil and gas.
West Wales Airport has a long aviation history, having originally been RAF Aberporth. During the 1960s, it was also home to the Royal Aircraft Establishment’s Ranges Division. In 2008, the runway was extended to over 1,250 metres to accommodate larger aircraft and support a growing number of test operations.
The airfield has since been used by high-profile customers, including the Royal Navy and the UK Home Office, for testing surveillance and security technologies.
TEKEVER now plans to transform the site into a national test centre for drones and autonomous systems, opening its doors to UK government departments, international allies, and private sector partners.
The acquisition forms part of TEKEVER’s £400 million UK investment strategy, dubbed OVERMATCH, aimed at boosting the country’s technological edge through cutting-edge AI and autonomous platforms.
Ricardo Mendes, Chief Executive of TEKEVER, said: “West Wales has played a central role in our UK operations. It gives us access to top-class facilities and a skilled community.
“As international tensions rise, the need for autonomous, AI-powered systems is only going to grow. Taking full ownership of the airport strengthens our ability to deliver for the UK and its allies.”
Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Rebecca Evans, welcomed the move, describing TEKEVER as one of the fastest-growing firms in the European drone sector.
She said the acquisition would benefit both the local economy and the wider defence industry.