Wingcopter
Wingcopter GmbH is a German drone manufacturer (founded 2017) that builds the Wingcopter 198, a patented tilt-rotor eVTOL fixed-wing drone used for medical and parcel delivery, long-range LiDAR surveying, and defense ISR, sold to healthcare, logistics, government, and surveying customers across more than ten countries via direct sales and authorized partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersWeiterstadt, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wingcopter does
Wingcopter GmbH is a German unmanned aerial systems manufacturer founded in 2017 and headquartered in Weiterstadt, Germany. The company designs and produces the Wingcopter 198, an eVTOL fixed-wing drone built around a patented tilt-rotor mechanism that combines vertical takeoff and landing with the long-range efficiency of fixed-wing flight. The platform is offered in three primary configurations: logistics delivery (medical supplies, parcels, and consumer goods, including a triple-drop delivery capability), long-range BVLOS LiDAR surveying for infrastructure inspection and disaster management, and security/defense ISR through a newly established Wingcopter Security & Defence (WSD) unit. Reported technical performance includes ranges up to 120 km, top speeds of 240 km/h (Guinness World Record), wind tolerance up to 70-90 km/h, and surveying missions covering up to 2,560 acres or 60 km of linear infrastructure per flight.
The company monetizes through hardware sales of the Wingcopter 198 with bundled ground control station, software licensing for operation and mission planning (updated remotely), bespoke configuration services, mandatory operator training, and ongoing support and maintenance. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; commercial terms follow EUR FCA / DAP Incoterms with separate invoicing for software, configuration, and services. Wingcopter operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales (anchored by a $16M U.S. contract with Spright and €40M EIB financing) with a global Authorized Partnership Program featuring ITOCHU Corporation in Japan and SYNERJET in Latin America. Customers span healthcare (Siemens Healthineers, Air Methods, NHS Scotland, Mexican Red Cross, Merck), logistics (DHL, ANA Holdings, LieferMichel), surveying (PASCO, YellowScan Japan), and humanitarian and government programs (UNICEF-backed Vanuatu vaccinations, German federal ministry-funded rural delivery pilots).
Wingcopter is venture-backed, having raised approximately $120M+ across seed, Series A, Series A extension, EIB debt, and secondary rounds between 2019 and 2025, with a $160M pre-money valuation recorded in 2022. Founders Tom Plümmer (CEO), Jonathan Hesselbarth (CTO), and Ansgar Kadura remain in leadership, recently augmented by Co-CEO/CPO Bernhard Klumpp and CFO Tobias Jordan. The company is currently pursuing FAA type certification in the United States and parallel certification in Japan with ITOCHU, both viewed as gating milestones for scaled commercial BVLOS operations.
Wingcopter firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wingcopter
- Legal name
- WINGCO
- Website
- https://wingcopter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wingcopter GmbH is a German drone manufacturer (founded 2017) that builds the Wingcopter 198, a patented tilt-rotor eVTOL fixed-wing drone used for medical and parcel delivery, long-range LiDAR surveying, and defense ISR, sold to healthcare, logistics, government, and surveying customers across more than ten countries via direct sales and authorized partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wingcopter industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Unmanned Aerial Systems
- NAICS
- Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)
- SIC
- Aircraft (3721), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aircraft (UAV) (IMABAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Special-Mission Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (ISR, AEW&C, Patrol) (IMABAAAH), Military Aircraft Platforms (Fixed-Wing) (IMABAMAA)
Keywords
Where Wingcopter is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Weiterstadt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wingcopter business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- UAS (Drone) Hardware Sales: Sale of unmanned aerial systems including Wingcopter 198 with ground control station and associated documentation. Products are customized for customer applications through individual configuration services.
- Software Licensing: Licensing of proprietary software for UAS operation. Customers receive non-exclusive, non-transferable license. Annual license fees invoiced at beginning of each performance period.
- Support and Maintenance Services: Professional repair and maintenance services for defective UAS including defect rectification and replacement delivery. Charged at applicable rates.
- Training Services: Comprehensive product training services with content, scope, certificates, and remuneration detailed in Service Descriptions. Mandatory for warranty validity.
- Individual Configuration Services: Customization of UAS and software according to customer planned field of application, invoiced separately at applicable rates.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Wingcopter product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wingcopter manufactures and sells unmanned eVTOL fixed-wing aircraft, principally the Wingcopter 198, which uses a patented tilt-rotor mechanism combining vertical takeoff and landing with long-range fixed-wing flight. The company bundles the aircraft with proprietary software (delivered via a Ground Control Station laptop), and provides configuration, support/maintenance, and operator training services. Offerings are organized into three application lines: Logistics (medical and parcel delivery), Surveying (long-range BVLOS LiDAR), and Security & Defence (ISR and reconnaissance).
Product overview
Wingcopter is a German drone technology company offering a portfolio of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) drones and associated services. The core product is the Wingcopter 198, featuring a patented tilt-rotor mechanism that combines vertical takeoff/landing capability with long-range fixed-wing flight efficiency. The product line spans three main applications: Logistics (delivery of medical supplies, parcels, and food using triple-drop capability), Surveying (long-range BVLOS LiDAR solutions for infrastructure inspection and disaster management), and Security & Defence (ISR and reconnaissance applications through the WSD unit). The company also provides supporting services including Ground Control Station hardware, software licensing with remote updates, configuration customization, maintenance/repair services, and operator training.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wingcopter 198
- Ground Control Station
- Logistics Solutions
- Surveying Solutions
- Wingcopter Security & Defence (WSD)
- Support and Maintenance Services
- Product Training Services
- Individual Configuration Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Patient waiting time reduced from hours/days to minutes in Tanzania and Vanuatu pilot projects
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Wingcopter
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Wingcopter technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
Wingcopter partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- TAF IndustriesflagshipJoint venture under 'Build with Ukraine' framework signed at Munich Security Conference. TAF provides battlefield-proven reconnaissance UAV designs and operational expertise; Wingcopter contributes manufacturing infrastructure and engineering capabilities. Aims to scale production in Germany for Ukraine defense supply and establish long-term German-Ukrainian industrial cooperation in defense technologies for European and NATO markets.
- PASCOcorePASCO signed MoU with ITOCHU and YellowScan Japan to deploy Wingcopter's fixed-wing VTOL drones for large-scale aerial surveying in Japan, focusing on disaster management applications. Collaboration aims to automate surveying workflows, reduce labor requirements, and enable faster responses to natural disasters through hazard mapping, damage assessment, and terrain monitoring.
- YellowScan JapancorePartner in Japan surveying collaboration deploying Wingcopter 198 for disaster management aerial surveying, integrating Lidar sensor capabilities with Wingcopter's BVLOS flight capabilities.
- EmqoptercoreCollaboration on opening of world's first fully autonomous drone port, enabling more flexible, sustainable, and cost-efficient deliveries through autonomous drone operations.
- AnsyscoreTechnology partnership using advanced simulation tools to improve Wingcopter drone design and performance, achieving potential flight range increase of over 10% for medical supply delivery applications.
- SynerjetcoreBrazil-based Synerjet is developing custom applications for Wingcopter 198 LiDAR surveying drones for asset inspections, vegetation monitoring, and infrastructure mapping. Plans to deploy fleets of surveying drones in Brazil. Synerjet is also an investor in Wingcopter.
- ITOCHU CorporationflagshipMajor Japanese trading company ITOCHU joined Wingcopter Authorized Partnership Program and made strategic investment. Acts as distributor and lessor of Wingcopter drones in Japan. Partnership aims to enhance Wingcopter's global reach with focus on Japan drone delivery market growth. Also initiated type certification process for Wingcopter 198 in Japan.
- SYNERJETcoreFirst authorized partner in South America, authorized to act as distributor and local technical support provider for Wingcopter 198 in Latin America.
- UAV LATAMcorePartnership makes Wingcopter, UAV LATAM and UAV del Peru leaders in drone delivery space in Peru.
- Sprightflagship$16 million contract providing Spright with fleets of Wingcopters for medical drone delivery solutions throughout the USA.
- Air MethodscoreStrategic partnership to provide new options for on-demand delivery and access to lifesaving resources in the U.S.
- ZAL GmbHcoreJoint development partnership to explore potential of green hydrogen to power Wingcopter's drones for sustainable aviation.
- Siemens HealthineerscorePartnership for first integrated drone delivery solution for laboratory samples and medical supplies in Africa, combining healthcare logistics expertise with drone delivery technology.
- ANA HoldingscorePartnership to accelerate development of drone delivery infrastructure for vital pharmaceuticals and consumer products via unmanned aircraft in Japan.
- Flying Labs NetworkminorMembership to support locally led drone delivery projects, improve supply chains through cargo drone projects, and equip local talent with skills to operate Wingcopters.
- SkyportscorePartnership for COVID-19 response trial delivering tests via drone on behalf of NHS Scotland, in collaboration with Thales.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wingcopter competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zipline: Zipline is the leading medical and last-mile drone delivery operator with a fixed-wing autonomous aircraft platform and large-scale deployments across Africa and the US. It is the most direct competitor to Wingcopter in long-range medical delivery and overlaps with Spright, NHS, and African healthcare use cases.
- Wing (Alphabet): Alphabet-owned Wing operates a fixed-wing eVTOL delivery drone and runs commercial delivery in Australia, the US, Finland, and Ireland. It is a direct competitor in BVLOS last-mile and parcel delivery, and overlaps with Wingcopter in LieferMichel and rural delivery pilots.
- Matternet: Matternet builds and operates medical logistics drones with hospital and laboratory networks in the US and Europe. It is a direct peer in healthcare drone delivery and competes for the same hospital-pharmacy-customer contracts that Wingcopter targets with Siemens Healthineers and Air Methods.
- Quantum Systems: Quantum Systems is a German fixed-wing eVTOL drone manufacturer focused on defense, surveying, and security applications. It is a direct European peer competing in the same Bundeswehr, Ukraine, and LiDAR surveying markets that Wingcopter targets through WSD.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon Prime Air: Amazon Prime Air is developing and operating delivery drones as part of Amazon's broader logistics and e-commerce platform. As a well-capitalized incumbent with overlapping BVLOS delivery ambitions, it represents competitive pressure in last-mile e-commerce pilots.
- AeroVironment: AeroVironment is a US-listed defense and commercial drone manufacturer with a broad portfolio of fixed-wing and rotary UAVs for military and survey applications. It overlaps with Wingcopter's defense (WSD unit, TAF JV) and surveying verticals and is a relevant scaled competitor.
- DJI: DJI is the global consumer and commercial drone incumbent with a broad product portfolio spanning consumer, enterprise, surveying, and agriculture. It is the dominant scaled competitor and sets baseline pricing pressure across Wingcopter's surveying and inspection adjacencies.
- Airbus (Zephyr, Drone-based delivery programs): Airbus operates high-altitude pseudo-satellite drones (Zephyr) and adjacent unmanned programs across defense and commercial segments. As a broad aerospace incumbent with overlapping BVLOS and defense ambitions, it is a relevant large player in Wingcopter's addressable markets.
Emerging players
- Skydio: Skydio is a US-based drone manufacturer focused on autonomous quadcopters for inspection, defense, and public safety. While primarily quadcopter-based, it overlaps with Wingcopter in enterprise inspection and US defense markets through dual-use positioning.
- EHang: EHang is a publicly listed Chinese eVTOL manufacturer focused on autonomous aerial vehicles for passenger and logistics use. While primarily passenger-focused, it overlaps with Wingcopter in eVTOL technology development and logistics cargo applications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wingcopter social profiles
Digital presenceWingcopter compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Wingcopter financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wingcopter leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Wingcopter subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Wingcopter funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds11 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wingcopter M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wingcopter
What does Wingcopter do?
Wingcopter manufactures and sells unmanned eVTOL fixed-wing aircraft, principally the Wingcopter 198, which uses a patented tilt-rotor mechanism combining vertical takeoff and landing with long-range fixed-wing flight. The company bundles the aircraft with proprietary software (delivered via a Ground Control Station laptop), and provides configuration, support/maintenance, and operator training services. Offerings are organized into three application lines: Logistics (medical and parcel delivery), Surveying (long-range BVLOS LiDAR), and Security & Defence (ISR and reconnaissance).
Is Wingcopter a public or private company?
Wingcopter is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Wingcopter founded?
Wingcopter was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wingcopter based?
Wingcopter is headquartered in Weiterstadt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Wingcopter make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. UAS (Drone) Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Licensing, support and Maintenance Services, training Services and individual Configuration Services.
Who are Wingcopter's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zipline, Wing (Alphabet), Matternet and Quantum Systems. Broad incumbents are Amazon Prime Air, AeroVironment, DJI and Airbus (Zephyr, Drone-based delivery programs). Emerging players are Skydio and EHang.
Does Wingcopter have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wingcopter.
What industry is Wingcopter in?
Wingcopter's product category is Commercial Unmanned Aerial Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAB, Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aircraft (UAV), with a secondary code of IMABAAAH, Special-Mission Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (ISR, AEW&C, Patrol). Its NAICS code is 336411 and its SIC code is 3721.