In the quest to make helicopter flights safer, helicopter enthusiast and researcher, Hector (Haofeng) Xu, launched Rotor Technologies, an autonomous helicopter company in 2021. The basis for the company’s operations was informed by Xu’s knowledge of the concerning mortality rates in small, private aircraft that are often used for fighting fires, crop dusting and medical evacuations.
As part of its mission, Rotor Technologies aims to refine existing helicopters with a collection of software and sensors that will, to a great extent, minimize the role of pilots in risky flights and broaden the potential applications of aviation. Through the use of autonomous machines, the company can ensure its helicopters fly for longer periods, cover bigger distances at a quicker pace and carry heavier payloads compared to battery-powered drones. These autonomous aircraft are already in operation in New Hampshire and will be available for purchase soon.
Rotor’s team which is made up of a significant number of MIT alumni and affiliates, including Chief Technology Officer Yiou He, has worked tirelessly to realize Xu’s vision for the company. Xu’s affiliation with MIT, through the Cambridge-MIT exchange program and his time as a research affiliate, student and postdoc at the institute, didn’t only shape his vision for the future of aviation but also helped facilitate the establishment of Rotor Technologies. Support was recceived from the MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), the National Science Foundation’s New England Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program and MIT’s Industrial Liaison Programe (ILP).
Rotor’s success can be largely tied to its strategic collaboration with the Robinson Helicopter Company, thereby allowing it leverage the company’s existing supply chain and customer base. It also saves the company the rigors associated with building a helicopter from the ground up. To ensure the Rotor helicopters operate autonomously and seamlessly, each Robinson helicopter overhaul is accompanied with a “fly by wire” upgrade and equipping the helicopters with advanced communication tools and sensors.
Rotor’s plan for autonomous flying goes beyond just making flying safer, but it also aims to sidestep limitations that hinder piloted flights. Traditional piloted flights are restricted by duration of flights and unfavorable weather, an issue which can be mitigated with autonomous flights. The company’s flagship helicopter, the R550X, which has the ability to stay airborne for hours and carry over a thousand pounds, can be employed to execute tasks that are too dangerous or impossible for piloted flights.
Rotor Technologies hopes to scale up production and sell up to 100 aircraft a year following their initial sales this year. While the focus is currently on safety, productivity and overcoming the challenges that helicopter operators have grappled with for years, the company’s ultimate goal is changing the day-to-day lives of people. As they look forward to a future with autonomous and more affordable vertical take-off and-landing aircraft, Xu hopes Rotor Technologies will be instrumental in making that a reality.
