Plettenberg

Plettenberg is a leading developer and manufacturer of rugged electric drive solutions for defense and aerospace applications. Our highly customizable drive solutions are ideal for unmanned systems (such as tactical UAV, UAS, UGV, USV and UUV) as well as other military applications. Our solutions are unrivalled in their robustness, power-to-weight ratio, efficiency and compactness, making them ideal for heavy duty defense missions in the harshest of environments.

Plettenberg is the global leader in high-performance inrunner BLDC motors for tactical drones, and provides solutions for hybrid VTOL, fixed-wing, single- and multirotor as well as loitering munition platforms.

Our product range also includes outrunner BLDC motors, brushed DC motors, ESCs, generators and starters as well as related accessories.

Plettenberg manufactures all products in Germany, adhering to a strict EN 9100:2018 quality system. All our drive solutions are made-to-order and customized to the unique needs of our customers, with engineering and system integration support provided every step of the way.

Inrunner BLDC Motors for Harsh Environments

We provide robust open- and closed-case inrunner BLDC motors available in a wide range of configurations and power ranges. With ingress protection up to IP67, they are ideal for challenging conditions such as snow, deserts and seawater environments. Available in the power range from below 1 kW to 50 kW.

More information: BLDC Inrunner Motors

Outrunner BLDC Motors for SWaP Restricted Applications

Our outrunner brushless DC motors are designed for airborne platforms with high-torque, low-weight requirements. With an extremely compact design and leading power-to-weight ratios, they are ideal for SWaP (size, weight and power)-restricted applications. Available in the power range from below 1 kW to 15 kW.

More information: BLDC Outrunner Motors

Inrunner BLDC Motors for Naval & Marine Applications

Our NOVA Maritime series of inrunner BLDC motors has been designed to withstand challenging naval and marine environments, and is ideal for crewed and uncrewed vessels as well as UUVs, ROVs and AUVs. Enclosed in an ultra-rugged IP67-rated and saltwater corrosion-resistant housing, the motors are available with peak power capabilities from less than 1kW up to 30kW. Oil-filled housings can be provided for deep-sea applications.

More information: Inrunner BLDC Motors for Marine Applications

Custom Inrunner BLDC Motors with Critical Redundancy

The Nova X series is based on on our proven NOVA inrunner motor technology and has been developed to address safety and reliability requirements for tactical drone platforms. Featuring up to three redundant windings powered by independent ESCs, these high-reliability motors enable UAVs to land safely in an emergency situation even if one ESC fails and a winding segment of the motor is destroyed.

All NOVA X-Series motors can be tailored to specific user requirements, with a wide variety of options for thermal design, ingress protection up to IP67, winding, number of poles, and more.

More information: Custom Inrunner BLDC Motors with Critical Redundancy

Ruggedized Brushed DC Motors

Our highly durable brushed motors feature a special hand-wound design and provide low resistance, excellent running characteristics, and leading power-to-weight ratios. The unique construction allows for easy and convenient exchange of brushes. Available in the power range from below 500 W to 1500 W.

More information: Brushed DC Motors

Rugged Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs)

Our rugged high-performance ESCs are available in a wide range of powers. Our top ESCs can handle voltages of up to 400 V and currents of up to 350 A. They are ideal for pairing with our motors, providing a combined solution engineered under one roof for optimal performance.

More information: Electronic Speed Controllers

Generators & Starter Systems

Plettenberg’s generators and starters are ideal for a wide range of military UAV combustion engines, and are available as external generator (separate to combustion engine), attachment kits (to be attached to combustion engine) or as integration kits (to be integrated in combustion engine housing).

More information: Generators & Starter Systems

Custom Engineering Capabilities

We provide a comprehensive range of services to support you throughout every stage of your custom drive solution project. We start by gaining a thorough understanding of your technical requirements, allowing us to determine the highest-efficiency solution under all conditions. Our in-house production facilities can support small prototype runs all the way up to final series production numbers.