The thousand foot view: Dufour Aerospace 2023 year in review

There's a buzz at Dufour Aerospace's hangar in Dübendorf, near Zurich. All around are Aero2 aircraft, iron birds, a busy team, testing, composite parts, blinking lights, computer displays, and even a famous aviator and astronaut or two. Above all, there’s a palpable energy at Dufour.

“2023 was a great year for Dufour Aerospace. I’d like to thank our investors, commercial partners, suppliers, members of the media, and our team — each of whom in their own way has supported the Dufour Aerospace vision,” said Thomas Pfammatter, CEO of Dufour Aerospace, and a co-founder. “Looking back at the progress we made in 2023 brings me great excitement for 2024. We move from strength to strength, and we do it in our own unique Swiss way.”

‍Spright sprouts
‍The seeds for Dufour’s achievements in 2023 were planted last year. Dufour closed 2022 with the announcement of the largest civilian uncrewed aircraft agreement in history, with Spright. The deal was for Aero2, Dufour’s cutting-edge uncrewed aerial vehicle featuring a hybrid-electric propulsion system and a tilt-wing design. The partnership includes 40 firm orders and options for an additional 100 units. It is a significant milestone in the journey towards the commercial market entry of Aero2, which is planned for 2025. 

Building on the deal, Dufour and Spright teams met for extensive training, testing — and fondue — in Switzerland. And, as planned, Dufour delivered its Aero2 X2.2 prototype aircraft to Spright in Oregon, on time in the fall. 

Just as 2022 closed on the right foot, Dufour opened 2023 with the successful closing of a Series B investment round led by Vista Global. This funding helped to inject capital into Dufour's vision for sustainable aviation technology. And, in the spring, Dufour was selected by Innosuisse, the innovation agency of the Swiss Confederation, for a grant of CHF2.5M (USD$2.8M). The runway looks very bright for Dufour.

‍Meet Dufour’s New Great Business Partners
‍Dufour’s commercial activities proceeded apace this year, building on 2022’s success. First, in March, Dufour and Swiss Helicopter announced a strategic collaboration, including an LOI for the purchase of two Aero2 and one Aero3 tilt-wing aircraft. In the fall, Swedish operator European Medical Drone signed a development contract and purchase agreement for 11 Aero2. The deal includes the delivery of one Aero2 X2.3 prototype in 2024 and 10 serial Aero2 aircraft starting in 2026. European Medical Drone will focus on connecting hospitals and aiding in the transportation of critical medical cargo over long distances. The transaction was sourced by Savback Helicopters, the exclusive agent for Dufour in the Nordic countries, and a key partner of Dufour. To end the year, Copenhagen Helicopter and Copenhagen AirTaxi signed a letter of intent for the purchase of both the Aero2 and the Aero3. Dufour is proud to have such great partners who believe in our mission and our products. 

‍Goodbye, Old Birdie
‍Of course, all good things come to an end. In June, Dufour retired its second-generation Aero2 prototype, named X2.1, from flight service. This, after two years of impressive hover and transition flights, marked the culmination of its valuable contribution to the development of tilt-wing aircraft. Further progress was made when the company unveiled the final design and specifications for the Aero2 aircraft. The Aero2 will transport 40 kilograms over a distance of 400 kilometers. Read more about the specifications for Aero2. 

‍X2.2 Stepping Up
‍With the retirement of X2.1, the flight test team's full attention turned to X2.2. In July 2023, the Dufour Aerospace X2.2 prototype of the uncrewed Aero2 aircraft successfully demonstrated full transition from vertical take-off to horizontal cruise. This is the third prototype from Dufour Aerospace that demonstrates the outstanding aerodynamic qualities of Dufour’s innovative tilt-wing design, expanding the envelope and gathering new flight data.

‍Critical Partners in Flight
Dufour has benefited tremendously from its supplier partnerships, especially in 2023. The company has entered into agreements with leading firms in aerospace and design. These include:

• Suter (hybrid-electric propulsion)
• Connova (composite airframes)
• Aerolite (composite structural parts)
• Air Energy (battery packs)
• Geiger (main motor units)
• Plettenberg (tail thruster propulsion)
• Volz Servos (electromechanical actuators)
• Mejzlik (propellers); and 
• 9T Labs (composite connectors)

With Suter, Dufour spent much time in 2023 testing its hybrid-electric propulsion system. This system will be integrated into the final pre-production prototype, X2.3, set to demonstrate the full flight envelope and hybrid system performance in early 2024.

‍Sic Itur Ad Astra
A major highlight for the team to end the year was that Switzerland's first astronaut, Claude Nicollier, and fellow ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter visited Dufour Aerospace. Their infectious curiosity was welcomed — especially during their inspiring interaction with the Aero2 simulator. The visit provided an opportunity for the team to connect with these pioneers, showcasing Dufour’s innovations and reinforcing the team’s dedication to sustainable aviation.

As 2023 draws to a close, we look forward to building on this year's steady progress with a focus on sustainable innovation and industry partnerships. Thank you, on behalf of the Dufour Aerospace team, for joining us on this journey!