Airbus Helicopters France Adopts Airborne’s Automation Technologies to Boost Composite Production
BY Composights
Published: 17 Nov 2025
Airbus Helicopters France has signed a Letter of Intent to implement Airborne s digital
automation technologies at its Le Bourget factory, aiming to enhance manufacturing
efficiency for composite rotor hubs and helicopter blades. The adoption
includes Automated Ply Placement (APP) and Kit by Light (KBL)
systems, designed to boost productivity, reduce material waste, and support
high-mix production for both military and civil helicopter models.
The focus will be on new automation and software to boost
productivity and efficiency at Airbus s Le Bourget factory in France. This
factory makes all composite helicopter
blades and hub structures for all Airbus helicopter models, both military and civil.
It s a high-mix production environment, ramping up to meet increasing demand, and Airborne s industrialisation technologies are an excellent fit says Marcus Kremers, CTO of Airborne."
The project covers two of Airborne s main automation systems, Kit by Light (KBL) and Automated Ply Placement (APP). APP is already used by Airbus Commercial for the A350 programme. It automates the layup process from cutter to laminate and can be used for both prepreg and dry fibre, both of which are processed in Le Bourget. In this project, new features regarding part size, layup and quality inspection are planned to be added.
KBL is already in use at Airbus Helicopters sister plant in Donauw rth (Germany), where it supports operators in the cutting room with software that significantly accelerates kitting. Building on that experience, plans are to implement the system in the Le Bourget factory to reduce material waste and increase output.
