# Pipistrel: drone company

Canonical ID: `e6fb127e-7747-4a18-a132-771412369ea6`

## Key facts

- **Founded:** 1989
- **Certification:** [Velis Electro](/models/pipistrel-velis-electro.md) — world's first EASA type-certified electric aircraft
- **Operations:** Certified for pilot training in 30+ countries
- **Parent company:** [Textron](/investors/textron.md) (acquired 2022)
- **Expertise:** 15+ years in electric flight
- **Noise:** 60 dBA — ultra-quiet operation
- **Products:** [Velis Electro](/models/pipistrel-velis-electro.md), Alpha Trainer, Explorer, Voyager
- **Founder:** [Ivo Boscarol](/people/ivo-boscarol.md)
- **President & MD:** [Gabriel Massey](/people/gabe-massey.md)
- **Key milestone:** World's first EASA type-certified electric aircraft ([Velis Electro](/models/pipistrel-velis-electro.md), June 2020)
- **Units delivered:** 2,500+ light aircraft since 1989 (company-reported)
- **Certified engine:** Pipistrel E-811 (EASA-certified May 2020)

- **Slug:** pipistrel
- **Founded:** 1989
- **HQ:** Ajdovščina, Slovenia
- **Category:** [Drones](/drones)

## Models

- [Velis Electro](/models/pipistrel-velis-electro.md) (aerial) (id: `5996920b-cd06-4b73-bf7e-d7387f0eeccf`)

## Current leadership (2)

- [Ivo Boscarol](/people/ivo-boscarol.md) Chairman Emeritus (secondary-verified)
- [Gabriel Massey](/people/gabe-massey.md) President & Managing Director (secondary-verified)

## Former / Previously (1)

- [Ivo Boscarol](/people/ivo-boscarol.md) Founder & CEO (secondary-verified)

## Supplies to

_No verified supply relationships on file. Supply-chain coverage is being added across the registry; check back as the seed populates this company's outbound edges._

_Outbound supply edges. Each appears when verified with at least two strong sources. Sources are append-only; corrections add new sources rather than rewrite history._

## Incidents affecting Pipistrel (1)

- [Fatal loss of control accident with Pipistrel Alpha Electro near Stadskanaal airfield, Netherlands](/incidents/pipistrel-alpha-electro-fatal-stadskanaal-2018-10-13.md), 2018-10-13 · Fatality

_Includes incidents linked directly to this company, to its models, or to deployments of its models or under its operation. Retracted incidents excluded from this view but reachable at their canonical URLs._

## Common questions

### What is Pipistrel?

Slovenian electric aircraft pioneer and global leader in electric aviation, headquartered in Ajdovščina. Founded in 1989 by Ivo Boscarol, Pipistrel achieved the world's first EASA type-certification for a fully electric aircraft with the [Velis Electro](/models/velis-electro) in 2020. The company was acquired by [Textron](https://www.textron.com) in 2022 for 42M and now operates as part of Textron eAviation, maintaining its brand, HQ, and R&D in Slovenia.

### What does Pipistrel make?

Pipistrel has 1 robot model on the DEPLOY registry: Velis Electro (Pipistrel builds physical robots).

### Is Pipistrel publicly traded?

Pipistrel is not an independent public company; it has been acquired, per the DEPLOY registry.

### How can I invest in Pipistrel?

Pipistrel has no separately traded stock; it has been acquired.

### Who owns Pipistrel?

Pipistrel has been acquired and is no longer independently owned.

### Where does Pipistrel operate robots?

Pipistrel is a robot manufacturer and does not directly operate deployments on the DEPLOY registry. Its products are deployed by customer operators; see the company page for the verified deployment record.

### When was Pipistrel founded?

Pipistrel was founded in 1989.

### Are there any incidents involving Pipistrel?

1 active incident involving Pipistrel is on the DEPLOY registry. Each is a sourced, append-only record; retracted incidents are suppressed from this view.


## Sources (2)

1. https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/products/velis-electro/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipistrel_Velis_Electro

## The verified answers

- [How many people have robots killed?](/how-many-people-have-robots-killed.md)
- [Robot fatalities on record: every verified fatal event, deduped](/robot-fatalities-on-record.md)
- [What happened to Cruise?](/what-happened-to-cruise.md)
- [Robot recalls and safety incidents](/robot-recalls-and-safety-incidents.md)
- [Physical-AI company valuations: ranked, verified vs claimed](/valuations.md)
- [Which companies have the most robots deployed](/which-companies-have-the-most-robots-deployed.md)
- [Which operators run the most robots](/which-operators-run-the-most-robots.md)
- [Which robot operators cover the most countries](/which-robot-operators-cover-the-most-countries.md)

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