Wingcopter has secured $22 million in Series A funding to strengthen its leadership in drone-based logistics, with a special focus on healthcare-related applications including the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Our team is driven by tackling the world’s challenges through scalable innovations,” said Wingcopter CEO Tom Plümmer. “This chapter of our journey is dedicated to setting up logistical highways in the sky that leapfrog traditional means of transportation.” 

One of the major barriers to the equitable distribution of medical resources is poor infrastructure – a problem Wingcopter is hoping to solve, Plümmer said. “With the support and powerful networks of our investors we are taking a huge step closer to fulfilling our vision of creating efficient and sustainable drone solutions that improve and save lives everywhere.” COVID-19 has severely exacerbated a problem that affects billions of people worldwide, and Wingcopter’s plans will continue beyond the pandemic’s eventual end.

Wingcopter will also expand its manufacturing capabilities at home in Weiterstadt, Germany. Their new headquarters – which is already home to more than 100 employees - will allow for production to be ramped up to meet the ever-growing global demand of the industry.

In addition to their efforts distributing COVID-19 vaccines, Wingcopter recently started a long-term project in Malawi, Drone + Data Aid, to improve healthcare supply chains together with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The German drone manufacturer also partnered with UNICEF’s African Drone and Data Academy, training local youth in drone operations, from mission planning to piloting beyond visual line of sight delivery.

The current model of the delivery drone being used in these efforts, the Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift, provides both one- and two-way delivery, covering distances of up to 120 kilometers. It can accurately lower a package through a winch mechanism, or land at the point of destination and return to its origin with new payload. Pre-orders can already be placed.