Uncrewed aircraft operator Areion UAS this week agreed to proceed with plans to buy at least 40 of Dufour Aerospace’s Aero2 hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft. The agreement, announced on September 30 during the UP Summit event in Bentonville, Arkansas, marks the renewal of an existing partnership between the Swiss manufacturer and U.S.-based Spright, which was acquired by Areion’s parent company Legionair Tactical Logistics on September 1.
The deal, which was originally signed by Spright in November 2022, also covers options for up to 100 more of the Aero2 tiltwing aircraft, which has an 88-pound payload and range of range of around 217 nm. Areion will now work on business development activities with the Dufour team.
According to Dufour’s CEO Sascha Hardegger, the company is about to start series production of the Aero2 model and is on track to start commercial deliveries in 2026. “We believe Areion is the right partner to expand our footprint in the U.S.,” he commented.
According to Areion managing director Tyler Kennedy, the Aero2, which was on display at the UP Summit, will serve as a multi-role platform in the company’s fleet. He told AIN that Legionair’s recent purchase of Spright was not related to the October 2023 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by helicopter operator Air Methods, of which Spright was formally a subsidiary. Spright subsequently started trading under the name Areion.
Dufour is also working on plans for a larger, longer-range tiltwing aircraft called the Aero3. The piloted aircraft is being designed for missions including passenger flights and emergency medical support.