Aero2 UAV to Help Link Swedish Hospitals

European Medical Drone, the Swedish drone operator engaged in connecting hospitals by means of drone transportation, and Dufour Aerospace, the Swiss eVTOL concern, have signed a development cooperation and purchase agreement for 11 Aero2 uncrewed tilt-wing aircraft.

Subject agreement includes the delivery of one Aero2 X2.3 prototype aircraft in 2024 and ten serial Aero2 aircraft to follow in 2026. Assisting in the transaction is Swedish helicopter vendor and Dufour Aerospace partner Savback Helicopters.

European Medical Drone founder Martin Braaen stated: “Dufour’s Aero2 is exactly what we are looking for, and at this stage, we do not see another product offering the same features close to market entry. Our mission is to facilitate sharing of vital resources among hospitals. Our system allows hospitals to request and receive essential supplies such as blood, medicines, and medical equipment. As we have a focus on connecting hospitals which are several hundred kilometers apart, we need long-range, heavy-lift, uncrewed aircraft with a lot of redundancy for safety. We do have very knowledgeable partners in our project, and with the addition of Dufour Aerospace, we will be one step closer to the aim of connecting hospitals with automated, fast and reliable transportation services also in large countries like Sweden. We are excited to team up with Dufour Aerospace to introduce our service in Scandinavia.”

Dufour Aerospace co-founder and CEO Thomas Pfammatter set forth: “Dufour Aerospace shares European Medical Drone’s vision and values, and our Aero2 has exactly been designed for the delivery of critical cargo over long distances, facilitating today’s logistics where this is beneficial. Connecting hospitals in a fast, reliable and efficient way makes a lot of sense in our eyes, and this will even become more important in the future. We are very happy to support European Medical Drone with our products and contribute to their activities towards building a medical logistics network to the best of our abilities. This development cooperation and purchase contract is of particular importance to us, as it confirms that our high-level specifications meet not only use cases overseas, but also in Europe.”

Savback Helicopters founder and CEO Michael Savbäck remarked: “Savback Helicopters, as the sole, exclusive agent for the sales of Dufour Aerospace products in the Nordics, is proud to be a part of this groundbreaking collaboration, showcasing our commitment to advancing the future of aviation and medical logistics through cutting-edge technologies. Together with Dufour Aerospace, we look forward to supporting European Medical Drone's mission of creating a robust medical logistics network that offers swift, reliable, and efficient transportation services to hospitals in Scandinavia. From medical logistics to search and rescue operations, and from law enforcement to aerial surveying, the Dufour Aero2 has been purposefully designed to meet the diverse needs of modern aviation. Its ability to seamlessly transition between roles and missions makes it a standout choice for a wide range of applications.”

The three companies will collaborate for purpose of introducing the Aero2 uncrewed aircraft on routes between hospitals in Sweden. The undertaking will include drafting the requisite concepts of operations, submitting the necessary documentation to the germane authorities, and carrying out trial operations to identify the potential and limitations of operations.

FMI: www.dufour.aero