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15 April 2021
ANA HOLDINGS INC. (hereinafter “ANA HD”) is collaborating with German drone manufacturer and service provider Wingcopter to accelerate the delivery of vital pharmaceuticals and other consumer products via unmanned aircraft. The two aviation innovators is conducting comprehensive trials with the electrical fixed-wing VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft developed by Wingcopter, with the aim of building a drone delivery network capable of serving needs across Japan. ANA HD is providing insights gained from decades of aviation experience that is helping Wingcopter, in full compliance with local aviation regulations, succeed in the unique flight conditions of Japan. Wingcopter is providing support in terms of training of pilots, mission planning, operation design as well as maintenance.
Credit: Wingcopter
Award-winning manufacturer of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) drones dedicated to humanitarian initaitives, Wingcopter, has secured $22 million (€18M) in Series A funding.
The financing round was led by Silicon Valley-based Xplorer Capital, a key investor in autonomous technologies, and Futury Regio Growth Fund, a Germany-based growth capital fund focusing on investments in globally scalable business models. In addition, Futury Ventures and Hessen Kapital III participated in this financing round.
WHY IT MATTERS
The Darmstadt-based drones company will use the funds to strengthen its focus on healthcare-related applications, including the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
In addition to selling drones, Wingcopter will expand its drone-delivery-as-a-service offerings. These services will allow customers to benefit from Wingcopter’s technology and its BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flight operations of five continents, without having
Weiterstadt, January 25
th, 2021 – Wingcopter, the German developer, manufacturer and operator of unmanned delivery drones for commercial and humanitarian applications, has secured $22 million in Series A funding. Wingcopter will use the funds to strengthen its leadership in drone-based logistics, with a special focus on healthcare-related applications, including the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. At the same time, Wingcopter is well-positioned and ready to establish more partnerships worldwide centering around other fully automated delivery applications.
The financing round was led by Silicon Valley-based Xplorer Capital, a key investor in autonomous technologies, and Futury Regio Growth Fund, a Germany-based growth capital fund focusing on investments in globally scalable business models. In addition, Futury Ventures and Hessen Kapital III participated in this financing round.
The current model, the Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift, can be transported in both one and two directions, with a distance of up to 120 kilometers. It can lower a package accurately by means of a winch mechanism, or land at the point of destination and return to the origin with a new load. To further expand its market reach, Wingcopter is continuing at full speed to launch the next generation of its aircraft, a groundbreaking delivery drone with unparalleled technical specifications. Pre-orders can already be placed.
In addition to selling drones, Wingcopter will rapidly expand its drone-delivery-as-a-service offering. These services allow customers to directly take advantage of Wingcopter’s cutting-edge technology and BVLOS track record (beyond the visual line of sight) of flight operations on five continents without having to own and maintain a fleet of drones, hire and train pilots or run operations themselves.