JÖNKÖPING Sweden & VISP, Switzerland — Swedish helicopter specialist Savback Helicopters and Swiss cargo drone company Dufour Aerospace have announced a commercial partnership aimed at establishing a premier long-range drone logistics network across Sweden.
As part of the agreement, Savback Helicopters and Dufour Aerospace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the intended acquisition of an initial fleet of three the latter’s Aero-200 hybrid tiltwing aircraft.
Savback Helicopters will also spearhead and manage all commercial operations, leveraging their extensive experience in the Nordic aviation market to provide sustainable, high-speed logistics solutions.
“This agreement builds upon the long-standing relations between the two companies, marking a significant evolution in their collaborative efforts to introduce innovative technology and offer compelling business offerings to the Northern European market,” the companies said in a joint statement.
The Aero-200 is a high-performance, automated tiltwing aircraft designed specifically for long-range logistics. By combining the vertical take-off capabilities of a helicopter with the efficiency and speed of a fixed-wing airplane, the Aero-200 is uniquely suited for Scandinavian geography, where remote communities and industrial sites require rapid, reliable connections.
The drone typically carries 20kg of commercial payload for 200km, or up to 500km with lighter payloads.
“Sweden presents a unique opportunity for drone logistics due to its vast distances and challenging terrain,” said Michael Savback, Founder and CEO of Savback Helicopters.
“By formalising this partnership with Dufour Aerospace — a move rooted in years of mutual respect and collaboration — we are not just adding a new aircraft; we are paving the path for future Nordic unmanned logistics.
“With the significant technological and regulatory progress we have seen recently, now is the time to fully engage, introduce this innovative technology, and offer compelling business offerings to the market. This planned initial acquisition of aircraft underscores our commitment to being the launch operator for this groundbreaking technology.”
In their preparations to launch, the two parties have set a roadmap, which will see them fully launching commercial operations in 2027.
But before then, the plan for this year is to focus on regulatory coordination with Swedish aviation authorities, infrastructure planning, training and intensive operational trials to ensure operational readiness.
This is a critical step that builds on Dufour Aerospace’s established experience with existing operations in Västervik, Sweden.
After that, Savback Helicopters says it intends to initiate full-scale commercial drone logistics operations on select fixed routes in Sweden next year, providing time-sensitive cargo transport for medical, industrial, and public safety/defence sectors.
“Savback Helicopters is the ideal partner for our entry into the Scandinavian market Sascha Hardegger,” said CEO of Dufour Aerospace.
“This partnership is a natural progression of our existing relationship, combining their expertise, network and deep understanding of aviation with our tiltwing design and in-house flight control system. Together, we will demonstrate that long-range drone delivery is not a distant vision, but a commercial reality.”