The super-versatile VTOL
Aero2 is the smallest product of the Dufour tilt-wing family. Designed as a multi-purpose unmanned aircraft, it is as robust and as versatile as a Swiss Army Knife. It will be the company’s first commercially available aircraft, targeting production in 2024.
In VTOL configuration it takes off and lands on the smallest of locations, using as little space as a conventional drone and as little energy as a conventional aeroplane during flight level. The tilt-wing design therefore combines the best of both worlds.
Aero2 is suitable for a wide variety of customer applications; Its interchangeable nose makes it the perfect tool to carry all sorts of different customer payloads for logistics, monitoring, topographical surveys & measurements or in public safety applications.
For safety and robustness, Dufour have applied aircraft design standards and full CS-LUAS certification*, believing the best way to build the aircraft of the future is to focus on performance, sound reduction, downwash and safety in both design and operation.
The ability to transport up to 40 kg payload makes the aircraft an excellent fit for search and rescue (SAR) operations, long endurance terrain and infrastructure surveillance as well as transporting cargo to remote and urban areas.
About Dufour Aerospace
Dufour Aerospace was founded in 2017 by Thomas Pfammatter, Dominique Steffen and Jasmine Kent. The team includes former engineers from Airbus, Solar Impulse, Boeing and Google. Leveraging over 30 years of experience in Swiss commercial helicopter operations, Dufour Aerospace understands the real world requirements of VTOL aircraft.
The tilt-wing design of Dufour’s aircraft family combines the ability to take-off and land vertically like a helicopter with the efficiency and speed of a conventional aircraft. The tilt-wing feature also gives the ability to cruise more efficiently - a key requirement of effective electric flight.
The highly experienced Dufour engineering team is building aircraft for rugged operations in harsh environments. The company’s patented combination of proven aerodynamic concepts integrated with the latest technology gives Dufour aircraft absolutely sound designs with unparalleled performance.
The combination of VTOL operation experience, aircraft design and software development expertise positions the company at the forefront of Advanced Air Mobility, making manned and unmanned electric and hybrid electric VTOLs a reality.
Partnering with Dufour Aerospace demonstrates Savback Helicopters’ confidence in the future of eVTOL as well as making the advantageous commitment to supporting an early mover in the urban air mobility sector, an industry estimated to be worth $1.5 trillion by 2040 according to Morgan Stanley.
Features
Specification
- Wing-span
6.1 m (20 ft) - Cruise speed
150 km/h (81 kts) - Maximum flight time
3 hours with hybrid module / ~ 400 km (216 NM) - Main propeller diameter
1.2 m (47.2 in.) - Payload and range flexibility
The design of Aero2 allows for an easy exchange of payload capacity for additional fuel. For every 4 kg of payload, an additional fl ight hour or 133 km (72 NM) range can be obtained. Extended range versions will be customer specific and therefore need to be developed according to specific customer needs. - Propulsion
Nose cone can be exchanged within Hybrid electric propulsion system
- 4 electric main motors and 1 electric tail motor (battery powered)
- 2 cylinder boxer engine (gasoline) to recharge batteries in flight
- Length
4.1 m (13.4 ft) - Payload (excl. fuel)
40 kg (88 lbs) - Maximum takeoff weight
208 kg (459 lbs) - Tail propeller diameter
0.6 m (23.6 in.) - Redundancy/safety
- Redundant motors allow for controlled landing in. case of a motor / controller failure in hover condition.
- Redundant design allows for continued flight in case of a motor / controller / propeller failure in cruise flight.
- Redundant flight control units
- Redundant control surfaces
