German startup Wingcopter, known for its award-winning VTOL drones, has secured seven-digit financing from Singapore-based Corecam Capital Partners. With this funding amount, the company is planning to accelerate the development of the next Wingcopter generation and expand its global maintenance and sales network.
Founded by Tom Plümmer (CEO), Jonathan Hesselbarth (CTO), and Ansgar Kadura (COO), Wingcopter aims to improve the lives of people worldwide through meaningful and civilian applications. The Darmstadt-based startup is currently focussing on the delivery of medical goods as well as parcels (e-commerce/parcel service) and food. Right now, the company operates in 10 countries. At present, the company is planning to test new delivery applications in the USA in collaboration with a tier-one partner.
Can take off and land vertically!
With its patented tilt-rotor mechanism, the company closes the market gap between commercial drones, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft, thus achieving a new dimension of efficiency. Wingcopter’s electrically powered drones can take off and land vertically in the smallest of spaces before being transformed into unmanned aeroplanes in a matter of seconds.
Ranges of up to 75 miles/120 kilometers in one flight
Once the drone reaches its desired altitude, all four rotors swivel by 90 degrees and turn the drone into an unmanned airplane. This enables ranges of up to 75 miles/120 kilometers in one flight and a Guinness world record speed of 150 miles/240 kilometers per hour. Even in strong winds of up to 55 mph/90 km/h or bad weather conditions, the Wingcopter flies autonomously and reliably.
Carried out various projects successfully!
It’s worth mentioning that Wingcopter has already successfully carried out various projects in which medical supplies were delivered over long distances to remote regions. It includes a six-months pilot project with DHL and the German development agency giz in Tanzania and a project on the South Sea island of Vanuatu.
Demonstrated under extreme conditions
In Ireland, Wingcopter, in partnership with Vodafone and local customer SIS, recently delivered insulin beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for the first time in Europe and over a distance of 14 miles/21 kilometers despite harsh wind conditions.
Further successful projects have been carried out in Japan, England, Malawi, Ethiopia, Norway, Canada, and the Arctic, where the drone’s performance has been demonstrated under extreme conditions (- 44 °F/- 42 °C).
Main image credits: Wingcopter
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