Rotron

Who We Are

About Us

Strong commitment to innovation

Rotron is a renowned pioneer in rotary engine technology. We are a leader in rotary engine design, manufacture and delivering propulsion systems, services and solutions across recreational, commercial and government applications.

At our heart, a dedicated diverse workforce comprising of young innovative thinkers and the most experienced talents in the industry. Each one energised by a common determination to push their boundless imaginations to design, develop and manufacture cutting-edge rotary engine technologies and establish the next step in extreme propulsion systems to meet our customer’s vital power needs.

Rotron Rotary Engine Design Engineers
Mission Everest

Tested beyond extremes to defy convention

In 2007, Gilo Cardozo and TV adventurer Bear Grylls turned convention on its head in the pursuit of the ultimate test; to fly above Everest, a feat many deemed impossible. The dream grew to become a worthy adversary of all Gilo had learnt as an engineer. The answer, to design a revolutionary rotary engine that was more compact, lighter, and almost twice the power for its capacity.

On 14 May, the intrepid pair foot-launched from the Himalayan foothills carrying a total weight of around 120kg, and flew north towards Everest before ascending towards target altitude. Around 9.30 am, Bear reached the height of 29,500ft and looked down on the summit of Everest.

Building on this success and achievement, Gilo continued to develop the ground-breaking rotary engine and looked for a commercial platform for the technology.

Rotron Power was born.

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Leadership that inspires the business

Rotron Management Team

Gilo Cardozo

Gilo Cardozo

FOUNDER / CTO

Gilo Cardozo, founder and CTO of Rotron Aerospace Ltd and Gilo Group Ltd, was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to engineering and business in 2011 and is considered one of the UK’s foremost aviation pioneers. Gilo’s passion for aviation has been his driving force, and combined with an engineering mindset has help define the many exciting projects that can truly be classed as disruptive technologies that will change the face of aviation for years to come.

Alex Head

Alex Head

CEO

CEO of Rotron Aerospace Ltd Alex enjoys the challenge of engineering and business management. From commercial strategy to generating and growing revenue streams with new products, Alex has the experience to deliver. Alex’s specific area of expertise lies within engineering, manufacturing, and business management. He knows first-hand how to build and deliver complex products and programs.

Sir George Zambellas

Sir George Zambellas

CHAIRMAN

Sir George Zambellas was First Sea Lord between 2013 and 2016, after a 36 year career as a pilot, sea commander, fleet commander and NATO commander. As professional head of the Navy he was responsible for delivering existing and new carriers, submarines and frigates. He also shaped the Navy’s ambition in autonomous sea and air systems. He is now Chairman of Rotron in the US and U.K., as well as holding executive roles in other data and tech related businesses.

Harveen Rai

Harveen Rai

INTERIM CFO

Experienced CFO with over 20 years’ experience in listed and private, manufacturing and operational companies. Expertise in business development and transformational activities and fund raising.

Col. Kev Oliver

Colonel Kev Oliver

ADVISOR / BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Kev Oliver was a Royal Marine for 33 years. He has wide operational experience and his final role was establishing the UK Ministry of Defence team which sourced military equipment to support Ukraine in the first six months of the war. He passionately believes that drones are fundamentally changing the character of warfare and brings significant access to the defence market.

Peter Dunn

Peter Dunn

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Peter is a chartered accountant and was an insolvency practitioner who founded one of the UK’s leading recovery practices before selling to a quoted vehicle in 2001. More recently, Peter was involved in the restructuring of a private office PE fund, protecting and enhancing the value of assets that were in significant distress. He has extensive contacts within both the investing and recovery communities and a prominent entrepreneurial reputation. He is a founding partner in Zed Capital, a boutique investment vehicle.

The Key To Multi-Mission Capability

The Right Partnership

Rotron has revolutionised rotary engine technology, and have been at the forefront of propulsion design since the creation of its first Rotron engine. Today we continue our proud tradition of defying convention; still leading the way in the field of rotary technology, still an innovator and still committed to developing new solutions that offer real, measurable results across diverse platforms and applications.

We Innovate

It is our passion, expertise and creativity that has ensured the development of our innovative technologies and processes; exploiting our highly versatile and widely capable manufacturing and production facilities to offer engine solutions with groundbreaking levels of performance combined with high levels of efficiency and reliability. By investing significantly in ongoing R&D and infrastructure we are able to continually develop new technologies which improve efficiency and contribute to the enhanced performance of critical applications for our customers.

We Adapt

To meet the high demands of our customers we have to be able to react quickly and effectively. This demands a design and manufacturing system which can respond rapidly to change, with the ability to run quickly through multiple design iterations to achieve optimum functionality and performance. Our first-class production facility deploys the best manufacturing techniques and is ideally suited to short prototype runs, medium sized batches and full-scale production.

We Listen & Partner

Before we embark on any project, we must know why we are doing it and then be able to measure its impact and evaluate its success. Our approach is to “listen and partner”, rather than “analyse and tell” which allows us to build a deeper trust-based relationship, foster better engagement and create the optimum environment for productive collaboration. We work with you to help unleash the energy and creativity across all levels of the project and to develop solutions stakeholders are excited by and can commit to.

We Deliver

To date, Rotron has completed and delivered one-off bespoke demonstration propulsion systems and engines for Universities, Aviation Corporations and Governments worldwide, as well as small and large batch engine designs. Whether the application has required one of our existing engine range, a uniquely modified ‘off-the-shelf’ engine or a completely new bespoke engine, our customers have found that the results exceed the perceived return on investment.