Dufour Aerospace

Today, Dufour Aerospace, the innovative Swiss drone and eVTOL company, announced the appointment of Sascha Hardegger as Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2024.

AeroMini 10 - A smaller tilt-wing version of our Aero2, primary used as test platform and ready to run all the necessary evaluations for our Aero2. #dufouraerospace #aero2 #aeromini10

Thanks to everyone who visited us and explored our Aero Mini at the International Drone Show, alongside our partners from Savback Helicopters. We were delighted to address all your questions and are thrilled to see your enthusiasm regarding our tilt-wing aircraft. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

We are pleased to announce our partnership with Loft Dynamics. Read the article to learn how the most advanced flight simulator technology and innovative tilt-wing aircraft will work together to advance aviation technology. #dufouraerospace #loftdynamics

Hi everyone, I'm Simon, a Mechanical Engineer with nearly 30 years of experience in aircraft design, certification, and manufacturing. My journey in the aerospace industry has been a thrilling adventure, filled with challenges, innovations, and moments of triumph. I began my career in the stress office, meticulously analyzing the strains and stresses on aircraft structures. Over the next 20 years, my dedication and expertise propelled me to the position of Engineering Director at a leading manufacturing company. There, I played a crucial role in delivering production solutions for industry giants such as Airbus, Bombardier, Leonardo, and Pilatus. A few years ago, I embraced a new challenge that brought me to Slovakia, where I became the Chief Engineer for a flying car company. It was here that I developed a keen interest in tilt-wing eVTOL aircraft. This passion led me to join Dufour four years ago as Head of Design for all products, including UAVs and crewed aircraft. On a personal note, I became a father relatively late in life. With a three-year-old and a one-year-old at home, my time outside of work is filled with family activities. Playing games and making frequent visits to the zoo keeps me young at heart and provides a wonderful balance to my professional life. At Dufour, I manage multiple departments, each with its unique challenges and innovative solutions. Our teams are a mix of seasoned Engineers with vast industry experience and younger Engineers brimming with fresh tech ideas. My role involves steering a path where innovation is encouraged within a structured framework to maintain high standards of technical governance. It’s a challenging but immensely rewarding task. One of the most unique features of our aircraft is the tilting wing. The joint to the fuselage is critical to the aircraft's mechanical safety. Our design uses a pair of lug brackets to support flight loads while isolating the structures, ensuring that the bending of the wing does not strain the fuselage. For our first UAV entry into service, which will operate in remote areas, we employ a single linear actuator to transition the wing from hover VTOL to fixed-wing cruise configuration and back again. The aircraft's wide flight transition corridor ensures safe landing even if the actuator locks at a specific angle. Looking ahead, we are designing future aircraft with higher safety levels for urban areas. These designs will feature multi-load-path damage-tolerant hinges, ensuring continued safe flight and landing even if part of the joint fails. This approach is similar to how a horizontal stabilator is designed on an airliner, leveraging existing technology to support tilt-wing aircraft certification. I'm incredibly proud of the work we do at Dufour and the talented team I get to collaborate with every day. Stay tuned for more updates and insights from our team as we continue to push the boundaries of aviation technology. #dufouraerospace

Exciting Update on the Aero2 🎉 Assembling the Aero2 has been a journey filled with challenges, excitement, and moments of celebration, and we're thrilled to share our latest progress with you! Over the past weeks, our dedicated team has been hard at work assembling the components of the Aero2. First, the team connected all the wires and electrical parts. Now, the batteries are already in place and functioning, which will allow our engineers to test all the mechanical moving parts, such as the star of the show— the tilt-wing! From meticulously aligning each part to ensuring seamless integration of cutting-edge technology, every moment spent on the assembly line represents a commitment to excellence and innovation. With each bolt tightened and each system tested, we're inching closer to the moment when the Aero2 will take flight and completely change the way we think about air transportation. We're incredibly proud of the dedication and expertise of our team, whose passion and ingenuity continue to drive us forward. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build and develop tests with the Aero2! #dufouraerospace #aero2

Thanks Savback Helicopters, for your support and commitment to our partnership!

Hey everyone! I’m Timon, and I’ve been fascinated by flying things since I was a teenager. From building small aircraft and drones as a hobby to making it my profession, it's been quite a journey! After acquiring my skills as a technician, I pursued an engineering degree which enabled me to get knee deep into the drone world. Joining Dufour almost 4 years ago was exactly what I was looking for. Back then, we were a small team, and my first task was to support the development of the AeroMini platform. This small tilt-wing aircraft, weighing about 10kg, helped me and many others grasp our core technology. Today, AeroMini is pivotal in refining our in-house control systems and training operators. In my current role, I lead system development and integration for our entire aircraft fleet. Our main focus right now is prepping our Aero2 pre-production prototype for its maiden flight, which is just around the corner. The Aero2 boasts fully redundant avionics, distributed powertrains, and a hybrid range, a lot of moving parts to design, test, and perfect. We have an amazing team going the extra mile to make it all happen, and I couldn't be more excited to be part of it. A few months ago, I became a father, so most of my free time is spent at home these days. Outside of that, my wife and I have a small project in Africa where we spend several weeks each year. Someday, I hope to fly bush planes down there and always keep exploring new things.

Happy Labor Day to the incredible team at Dufour Aerospace! On this well-deserved day of rest, we want to take a moment to recognize and appreciate each and every one of you for your hard work, dedication, and commitment. Your passion and drive are the driving force behind our success, and we are grateful to have such a talented team by our side. Whether you're in the office developing, in the workshop assembling our next aircraft, or taking a well-deserved break, your contributions are invaluable and make a difference every single day. Thank you, team, for your continued efforts and for being the heart and soul of our company. Wishing you all a fantastic Labor Day filled with relaxation, joy, and quality time with loved ones! 🚣♂️ 🚵♀️ 🤸♂️ 👨👩👧👦 💆♂️ 💆♀️ 🏄♂️ 🏓 🌼

Dufour Aerospace announces Mejzlik Propellers as supplier of main propellers for Aero2. Zurich/Brno (CZE), April 22, 2024: Mejzlik Propellers manufactures top-quality carbon fixed-pitch propeller blades for the UAV market, and Dufour is excited to incorporate them into the main propeller on Aero2. Simon Bendrey, Head of Design at Dufour Aerospace, emphasizes: "Mejzlik Propellers has crafted custom variable-pitch blades for the main propellers, perfectly suited to our motor and aircraft performance needs. Teamed with Dufour's in-house designed variable-pitch hub mechanism, these propellers will deliver the lift and cruise thrust for the aircraft. We eagerly anticipate a long-lasting partnership with Mejzlik Propellers on this program." Tomas Mejzlik, CEO of Mejzlik Propellers, comments: "I am thrilled to collaborate with Dufour Aerospace on their Aero2 project. At Mejzlik Propellers, we are dedicated to delivering propeller solutions that help our customers achieve their propulsion system goals efficiently. This is why Dufour Aerospace chose us for their project and placed their trust in us. Our involvement in the Aero2 project allows us to leverage our 30 years of experience in propeller design and manufacturing. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such a sophisticated project and further enhance our expertise in propulsion systems in the UAV market." About Mejzlik Propellers Mejzlik Propellers is a carbon fiber propeller manufacturer based in Brno, Czech Republic. Since 1974, Mejzlik has been developing and manufacturing top-quality propellers. They are more than just another propeller manufacturer; they collaborate with their customers to achieve performance, reliability, and safety requirements. Mejzlik Propellers is a leader in providing solutions to the UAV market and offers simulation, design, manufacture, and testing services for their propeller customers. www.mejzlik.eu About Dufour Aerospace Dufour Aerospace develops efficient and eco-friendly aircraft for patient and passenger transport, logistics, and public safety. Dufour Aerospace’s designs currently under development rely on the tilt-wing principle. They take off and land vertically in the smallest space like a helicopter but fly as fast and economically as an airplane. While the propellers are electric-driven, hybrid elements (conventional combustion engines or fuel cells) ensure a sufficiently long range. The first product Dufour Aerospace will launch is the Aero2, an unmanned aerial vehicle specifically designed for the transportation of critical cargo such as medical supplies of up to 40 kilograms/88 pounds in medium to long-range distances. The manned Aero3, featuring a spacious cabin with eight seats and large doors, is the next aircraft in development by Dufour Aerospace. www.dufour.aero