Dufour Aerospace Aims to Compete with Medevac Helicopters

Dufour Aerospace expects the first flight of its Aero3 hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft test article to take place by the end of this year or early 2023.

Thom Patterson

Tuesday, March 01, 2022 at 12:27 PM ET

Verified

Aero3, from Dufour Aerospace, is being developed as a hybrid eVTOL emergency medical transport and rescue aircraft. [Courtesy: Dufour Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

Current medevac helicopter operations are challenging due to unconventional landing sites, low-altitude hazards like power lines, and rotor awareness issues.
Dufour Aerospace is developing the Aero3, a mission-specific electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, to overcome these difficulties for emergency medical services.
The Aero3 features a unique tilt-wing design with six smaller proprotors, no traditional helicopter blades, and a hybrid-electric propulsion system for increased range, quieter operation, and lower costs.
Designed with high payload capacity and extra-large doors, Aero3 aims to expand air ambulance networks, improve "golden hour" treatment accessibility, and meet the demands of a growing medical transport market.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Medevac helicopter pilots are all too aware of the challenges involved in their missions. They often have to land and take off from areas not intended for use as heliports, including parking lots, farmland, and empty side streets.

They also have to fly very low—maintaining altitudes under 1,000 feet, where dangerous infrastructure, such as power lines, light poles, antenna towers, and trees can get in the way—with potentially disastrous results. Keeping proper situational awareness surrounding tail rotors and main blades—often measuring 35 to 50 feet long—can also be challenging.