Savback Helicopters and Dufour Aerospace have partnered to launch a long-range drone logistics network in Sweden using hybrid-electric Aero-200 tiltwing aircraft.
Sweden’s Savback Helicopters and Switzerland-based Dufour Aerospace have announced a commercial partnership aimed at establishing a long-range drone logistics network across Sweden.
The agreement includes a Memorandum of Understanding covering the planned acquisition of an initial fleet of three Aero-200 tiltwing aircraft, subject to customary conditions.
Under the partnership, Savback Helicopters will manage commercial operations, while Dufour Aerospace will provide the hybrid-electric tiltwing aircraft technology designed for long-range unmanned logistics operations.
Sweden’s Savback Helicopters and Switzerland-based Dufour Aerospace have announced a commercial partnership aimed at establishing a long-range drone logistics network across Sweden.
The agreement includes a Memorandum of Understanding covering the planned acquisition of an initial fleet of three Aero-200 tiltwing aircraft, subject to customary conditions.
Under the partnership, Savback Helicopters will manage commercial operations, while Dufour Aerospace will provide the hybrid-electric tiltwing aircraft technology designed for long-range unmanned logistics operations.
The Aero-200 combines vertical take-off and landing capability with fixed-wing cruise efficiency, allowing it to operate in geographically remote regions while maintaining higher speeds and longer ranges than conventional multirotor drone systems.
According to the companies, the aircraft is designed to carry a 20 kg payload over distances of up to 200 km, or operate over ranges of up to 500 km with lighter payloads.
“Sweden presents a unique opportunity for drone logistics due to its vast distances and challenging terrain,” said Michael Savback, Founder and CEO of Savback Helicopters.
He added that the agreement reflects growing confidence in both the regulatory and technological maturity of long-range unmanned logistics systems in the Nordic region.
Dufour Aerospace CEO Sascha Hardegger described the partnership as a “commercial reality” rather than a future concept, citing the combination of Savback’s operational expertise and Dufour’s tiltwing and flight control technologies.
The companies outlined a two-phase roadmap for the programme. During 2026, the focus will centre on regulatory coordination, infrastructure planning, operational testing and training activities in Sweden.
Commercial launch activities are expected to begin during 2027, with planned operations supporting medical logistics, industrial transport and public safety or defence-related missions on selected routes across Sweden.
Savback Helicopters, based in Jönköping, has operated in the aviation sector for more than 35 years, while Dufour Aerospace develops hybrid-electric aircraft systems for logistics and public safety operations from its base in Visp.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: SAVBACK HELICOPTERS
