Wingcopter
German eVTOL drone maker known for speed records and humanitarian deliveries.
Wingcopter GmbH is a German aerospace company that designs and manufactures unmanned eVTOL delivery drones. The company is notable for its flagship drone, the Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift, which set a Guinness world speed record for remote-controlled tilt-rotor aircraft in 2018, and for its involvement in humanitarian and commercial drone delivery projects worldwide.
- Founded
- 2017
- Founders
- Jonathan Hesselbarth, Tom Plümmer, Ansgar Kadura
- Headquarters
- Darmstadt, Germany
- Flagship drone
- Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift
- Speed record
- 240.6 km/h (2018 Guinness world record)
- Series a funding
- $22 million (January 2021)
- Eib investment
- €40 million (May 2023)
Lore & Background
Wingcopter GmbH was founded in 2017 in Darmstadt, Germany, by Jonathan Hesselbarth, Tom Plümmer, and Ansgar Kadura. In 2018, the company partnered with DHL and GIZ to deliver medicine to the Ukerewe island district of Lake Victoria, Tanzania. In 2019, it partnered with UNICEF to set up an on-demand delivery network on the South Pacific island of Pentecost, Vanuatu. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wingcopter partnered with Thales, Skyports, and the NHS for BVLOS delivery of medical test samples to a remote Scottish island hospital. The company was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a '2020 Technology Pioneer' and selected by the FAA for a type certification program for delivery drones. In May 2022, Wingcopter announced a partnership with Continental Drones to establish a delivery network across 49 countries in Sub-Sahara Africa, aiming to deploy 12,000 of its Wingcopter 198 drone systems over five years.
Reader's Guide
Wingcopter's significance lies in its combination of speed, payload capacity, and humanitarian focus. The Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift set a world speed record of 240.6 km/h, demonstrating the potential of tilt-rotor technology for rapid delivery. The company has been a key player in delivering critical supplies to remote areas, including vaccines in Vanuatu and medical samples in Scotland, often in partnership with organizations like UNICEF, DHL, and the NHS. Its selection by the FAA for a type certification program signals its ambition to enter the U.S. market. The €40 million investment from the European Investment Bank in 2023 underscores its role in scaling electric delivery drone logistics. Wingcopter's legacy is built on bridging technology and humanitarian aid, with projects in Africa, the South Pacific, and Europe, and a focus on beyond visual line of sight operations.
Did You Know?
- Wingcopter was one of ten drone companies selected by the FAA to participate in a type certification program for delivery drones.
- In May 2022, Wingcopter partnered with Continental Drones to deploy up to 12,000 Wingcopter 198 drones across 49 Sub-Saharan African countries.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wingcopter delivered medical test samples to a remote Scottish island hospital using BVLOS flights.
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