Avy B.V.
Dutch developer of VTOL drones for long-range missions.
Avy B.V. is a Dutch technology company based in Amsterdam that builds and runs drones and aerial networks for long-distance operations. Its drones use a VTOL fixed-wing design, allowing them to take off and land vertically like a helicopter while flying farther than a typical quadcopter. The company’s second drone, the Avy Aera, was introduced at Amsterdam Drone Week in December 2019.
The company was founded in 2016 by Patrique Zaman. Between 2015 and 2017, it was part of the European Space Agency incubator. In 2017, Avy was a finalist in the UAE Drones For Good Award in Dubai, exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum as part of the Design for Refugees exhibition, and conducted its first beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) missions in three South African national parks. The next year, it moved to a new headquarters in Amsterdam and received seed investment from Orange Wings. In 2019, it launched the Avy Aera and helped found the Medical Drone Service consortium. In 2020, Avy received a €1.4 million grant from the EU Horizon 2020 program, took part in the Lake Kivu challenge in Rwanda (winning a safety award in the Emergency Delivery category), and won a Blue Tulip Award for Best Mobility Innovation. In 2021, it launched the Drones for Health project in Botswana with BIUST, UNFPA, and the Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness, and won an Airwards in the Emergency Response and SAR category.
The Avy Aera measures 2400 mm by 1300 mm by 500 mm and can carry a payload of up to 1.5 kg. It has a flight time of 55 minutes, a range of 60 km, and a cruise speed of 40 knots (74 km/h). The drone can fly BVLOS missions and has a modular payload system. It can be fitted with a stabilized gimbal carrying RGB and thermal cameras for wildfire detection, or a cooled medical cargo box that keeps blood, samples, and vaccines at 2–8 °C. The Aera is certified for BVLOS flights under EU drone regulations.
The drone can be operated remotely and autonomously from a docking station, which allows it to take off, land, charge, and be checked without human intervention. The drone and station are linked via software and controlled from a network control center, which can be separate or integrated into an emergency services control room. This setup forms the infrastructure for an aerial drone network.
Quick Facts
- Industry
- Aviation · Logistics · Emergency Response
- Founder
- Patrique Zaman
- Area Served
- Europe, Africa
- Products
- Avy Aera
- Num Employees
- 25 - 50
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Avy B.V. was founded in 2016 by Patrique Zaman in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The company participated in the European Space Agency Incubator from 2015 to 2017, and in 2017 was a finalist in the UAE Drones For Good Award in Dubai. That same year, Avy exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum as part of the Design for Refugees exhibition and conducted its first BVLOS missions in three national parks in South Africa. In 2018, the company moved to a new headquarters in Amsterdam and received seed investment from Orange Wings. The Avy Aera was released at Amsterdam Drone Week on December 4, 2019. In 2020, Avy received a 1.4 million euro subsidy grant from EU Horizon 2020, took part in the Lake Kivu challenge in Rwanda (winning a safety award in the Emergency Delivery category), and won a Blue Tulip Award for Best Mobility Innovation. In 2021, the company launched the 'Drones for Health' project in Botswana and won an Airwards in the Emergency Response and SAR category.
Reader's Guide
Avy B.V. is significant for its development of the Avy Aera, a VTOL fixed-wing drone that can take off and land vertically like a helicopter while flying longer distances than a quadcopter due to its fixed-wing configuration. The drone has a range of 60 km and a flight time of 55 minutes, and is certified to fly BVLOS under EU drone regulations. Its modular payload allows it to carry a stabilized gimbal with RGB and thermal cameras for wildfire detection, or a cooled medical cargo box for transporting blood, samples, and vaccines at 2–8 °C. The company's legacy is built on practical applications: the Medical Drone Service consortium (founded in 2019 with partners including ANWB MAA, PostNL, Erasmus MC, and KPN) researched drone delivery for healthcare in the Netherlands; a partnership with CHC Helicopters and the Safety Region of North Holland explored early wildfire detection; and the Drones for Health project in Botswana aimed to reduce maternal deaths by delivering health supplies 65% faster than road transport. Avy also developed a docking station for autonomous remote operation, forming an aerial drone network infrastructure.
Did You Know?
- The Avy Aera has a flight time of 55 minutes and a range of 60 km.
- In 2020, Avy won a Blue Tulip Award in the 'Best Mobility Innovation' category.
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