Savback Helicopters, Dufour Partner on Drone Delivery

Sweden’s Savback Helicopters is partnering with Dufour Aerospace to launch a commercial drone logistics network across the country. The service is set to start across select fixed routes in 2027, using the Swiss manufacturer’s hybrid-electric, uncrewed Aero-200 tiltwing aircraft.

An initial preparation and integration phase will focus on regulatory coordination, infrastructure planning, and “intensive operational trials,” explained Savback. Starting next year, the helicopter specialist plans to spearhead and manage commercial drone operations on “select fixed routes in Sweden.”

The Aero-200 is targeting a range of 200 km with a maximum payload of 20 kilograms (44 pounds). Typical missions will include “time-sensitive cargo for medical, industrial, and public safety and defense sectors,” explained Dufour. It added that its tiltwing capabilities are “uniquely suited for Scandinavian geography, where remote communities and industrial sites require rapid, reliable connections.”

In August 2024, Dufour Aerospace flew what it described as a “production-ready” variant of its aircraft from its facility near Zurich. An ongoing flight campaign at Sweden’s Västervik Airfield (ESSW) has seen the Aero-200 continue to extend its range and endurance, recently completing a 170-km mission in 1 hour 37 minutes. So far, eight full-scale prototypes have made the transition between hover and forward flight.

Sweden-based European Medical Drone is also set to be among the early commercial adopters of the type.