Photo: Dufour Aerospace
The most famous autonomous tilt-wing aircraft coming from Switzerland arrived on American land. It didn't fly to its destination but was packed and delivered to the US drone operator Spright, which will organize its first-ever demonstration flight in America.
Dufour Aerospace reached a delivery milestone once the Aero2 X2.2 was sent from Zurich to Oregon. This is the company's demonstrator aircraft, delivered to Dufour's US customer, the drone operator Spright. It will be used just for demonstration flights after undergoing minor technical modifications. This will be not just Aero2's first flight in the US but also the first time it operates outside of its homeland, Switzerland.
There was a lot of work done behind the scenes prior to this important delivery. During the summer, Spright pilots traveled from America to Zurich for intensive training. They participated in multiple virtual flight sessions and real-world operations throughout several weeks. The goal was to become familiarized with the innovative Swiss aircraft before the first units were delivered to Spright.
Spright and Dufour began their collaboration last year when the drone operator agreed to what seems to be the largest civilian drone order in America's history – 40 units and the option to add 100 more.
The X2.2 version that arrived in Oregon is only the pre-production aircraft, which will only operate demonstrational flights with US pilots in the cockpit. The final version of the Aero2 is set to enter commercial service two years from now. In the meantime, back in Switzerland, the manufacturer has already kicked off construction of the X2.3, which is the hybrid-electric version of the Aero2 autonomous drone.
Aero2 was designed for cargo transport, in particular for sensitive sectors such as EMS (emergency medical services) and SAR (search and rescue). The commercial version boasts the ability to carry a payload of 40 kg (88 lb) over 400 km (248.5 miles). Powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system, Aero2 can complete three-hour flights, cruising at 81 knots (151 kph).
What makes Aero2 stand out among other autonomous aircraft is its unusual tilt-wing design. It's inspired by the Cl-84 tilt-wing aircraft that Canadair developed approximately 50 years ago. This modernized version claims to offer the benefits of both conventional rotorcraft and airplanes, with the added perk of lower emission levels.
Aero2 was also designed to ensure payload-range flexibility, which means it can choose to favor one or the other depending on the operator's requirements. With a minimal payload of just 10 kg (22 lb), the autonomous drone can cover an impressive 750-nautical mile (1,390 km) route. This remarkable aircraft is the evolution of an electric aerobatic aircraft, the Aero1, developed by Dufour almost a decade ago as a modern version of the innovative tilt-wing configuration.
There was a lot of work done behind the scenes prior to this important delivery. During the summer, Spright pilots traveled from America to Zurich for intensive training. They participated in multiple virtual flight sessions and real-world operations throughout several weeks. The goal was to become familiarized with the innovative Swiss aircraft before the first units were delivered to Spright.
Spright and Dufour began their collaboration last year when the drone operator agreed to what seems to be the largest civilian drone order in America's history – 40 units and the option to add 100 more.
The X2.2 version that arrived in Oregon is only the pre-production aircraft, which will only operate demonstrational flights with US pilots in the cockpit. The final version of the Aero2 is set to enter commercial service two years from now. In the meantime, back in Switzerland, the manufacturer has already kicked off construction of the X2.3, which is the hybrid-electric version of the Aero2 autonomous drone.
Aero2 was designed for cargo transport, in particular for sensitive sectors such as EMS (emergency medical services) and SAR (search and rescue). The commercial version boasts the ability to carry a payload of 40 kg (88 lb) over 400 km (248.5 miles). Powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system, Aero2 can complete three-hour flights, cruising at 81 knots (151 kph).
What makes Aero2 stand out among other autonomous aircraft is its unusual tilt-wing design. It's inspired by the Cl-84 tilt-wing aircraft that Canadair developed approximately 50 years ago. This modernized version claims to offer the benefits of both conventional rotorcraft and airplanes, with the added perk of lower emission levels.
Aero2 was also designed to ensure payload-range flexibility, which means it can choose to favor one or the other depending on the operator's requirements. With a minimal payload of just 10 kg (22 lb), the autonomous drone can cover an impressive 750-nautical mile (1,390 km) route. This remarkable aircraft is the evolution of an electric aerobatic aircraft, the Aero1, developed by Dufour almost a decade ago as a modern version of the innovative tilt-wing configuration.
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