Wings For Aid was founded by Dutch entrepreneur and innovator Mr. Barry Koperberg in 2015. The statutory goal is to develop and deliver a scalable and reliable delivery system based on proven cargo-drone technology that makes micro-distribution possible anywhere, while reducing operational costs, mitigating risks and maximising operational efficiency.
Wings For Aid partners with a variety of experts who approach the “last-mile problem” from all required angles and scientific perspectives, including global logistics, aerospace design, packaging, international aviation law, and remote-control systems. In this community, creative ideas and concepts are challenged, fine-tuned and put to action and products.
At the heart of the Wings For Aid network is a small team of experienced professionals providing the craftmanship required for innovation. The team works on concept development, testing, funding, and stakeholder management. Always – as required by the task at hand – in a cooperative effort with other actors in the network.
Point of contact is Wings For Aid’s founder and general manager, Mr. Barry Koperberg.
Strategic design and innovation agency VanBerlo, part of Accenture, supports Wings For Aid in designing and developing the aircraft and IT system. VanBerlo joins partners to build bridges between human needs, technological opportunities, and sustainable business. The Wings For Aid project is part of the Accenture Development Program.
Leading VanBerlo’s team working on this is their CTO, Mr. Eric van Dorst.
Rhenus Logistics is Wings For Aid’s logistics services partner, enabling integrated logistics solutions worldwide. The Rhenus Group is a proud supporter of innovative and sustainable projects and supports Wings For Aid as an enabler to bridge complicated ‘last miles’ and to increase social inclusion. Rhenus Air & Ocean holds a strategic share in Cargo Internet Development B.V., the operational twin of the Wings For Aid Foundation.
Point of contact is Mr. Marcel van Duyn, Supervisor Cargo Office at Rhenus Logistics.
Smurfit Kappa is a world leading paper-based packaging manufacturer, working from the belief it is important to deliver great products to customers, while positively contributing to the environment and communities of operation. Smurfit Kappa has made a significant contribution to the development and implementation of the self-landing cargo boxes that are at the heart of Wings For Aid’s distribution system.
Point of contact is Customer Experience & Innovation Director, Mr. Frank Sinnige.
Pipistrel, a Slovenian aircraft innovation powerhouse and designer of the world’s first certified electric aircraft, is Wings For Aid’s design & manufacturing partner for the OPV aircraft and the first-ever MiniFreighter. Pipistrel is part of Textron, a US aircraft company. Point of contact is Tine Tomazic, CTO.
Based in Munich, Germany, Amazilia Aerospace is our partner for the automation of the aircraft systems. Point of contact is Mr Christoph Dorhoefer, CEO.
Not far from Venice in Italy, Fly Synthesis laid the basis for the next five MiniFreighters. Fly Synthesis is now part of Wings & Boats. Point of contact is Massimo Meroi, Manager.
Close to Breda, The Netherlands, Orange Aerospace has an experienced crew in composites. They have a legacy in aerobatic and other special-mission aircraft and are involved in the MiniFreighter 8/500FW and MiniFreighter 12/1000FW. Point of contact is John van Gastel.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force has a strong alliance with Wings For Aid, based on a shared interest in expertise and innovation. Practical knowledge is put to humanitarian use; new knowledge on aircraft, certification and operational concepts is built up; assets such as airbases are used for controlled testing. The Air Force Orchestra contributed to Rotary/Wings For Aid beneficiary concerts and various Bases offered their support for ground and flight testing.
Point of contact is Lieutenant Colonel Valette Jacobs-Kloppenburg, Royal Netherlands Air Force.
The Royal Netherlands Army has a shared agenda with Wings For Aid when it comes to logistics. The Army facilitates testing of the system as part of its Concept Development and Experimentation program.
Wings For Aid has drawn its main inspiration from knowledge concentrated at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Delft University of Technology. Advising on the design and operations of the Wings for Aid aircraft is the current contribution. Earlier contributions include design synthesis exercises, in which students developed forward-looking aircraft concepts.
Point of contact for Wings For Aid is Ir. Joris Melkert, who is Director of Education of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and a well-known aviation expert.
The Hightech Business and Entrepreneurship Department of the University of Twente supports the Wings For Aid program with the modelling, optimisation and analysis of the logistics processes and drone operations. This includes the development of a generic simulation model for UAV-aided humanitarian logistics. The model contains a library of disasters and their essential attributes, allowing experimentation with, e.g., various supply chain configurations and drone operations.
Point of contact is Associate Professor Dr.Ir. Martijn Mes.
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has made all kinds of contributions to humanitarian practice, including shelter solutions. For Wings For Aid, student teams have fine-tuned and tested parts of the carton delivery box.
Point of contact for Wings For Aid is Mr. Mark Cox, who has a pivotal role in business development and collaboration at TU/e.
Dedicated to innovation in aerospace, Royal NLR worked with Wings For Aid, VanBerlo/Accenture and the Royal Netherlands Air Force on documenting the drone development and certification process. Furthermore, NLR contributed to the establishing of the Wings For Aid operator organisation and trains the Wings For Aid drone pilots for future remotely piloted operations. The Wings For Aid pilots are among the first to be trained to operate remotely piloted aircraft in the 25+ kg category.
Point of contact is Head of vertical flight and drone centre, Barbara Ohlenforst.
The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is cooperating with Wings For Aid and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to develop new assistance technologies for distributing humanitarian supplies using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). This coalition for innovation tested DLR’s unmanned superARTIS helicopter with the Wings For Aid box in the Dominican Republic with positive results. DLR is also advisory partner for SORA, the new methodology for safety assessment of remotely piloted aircraft systems.
Point of contact is Head of Department of Unmanned Aircraft, Mr. Johann Dauer.
To70 is a world-leading aviation consultancy company and has partnered with Wings For Aid since 2017. With offices in over ten countries, its mission is to help society and industry address current and future aviation challenges. To70 assists in the development of ConOps, SORA, and other technical documents. In addition, it provides general consultancy services, including advice on the commercial agreements with Wings For Aid’s operating partners in this novel and promising industry.
Point of contact is Senior Aviation Consultant, Mr. Adrian Young. Mr. Adrian Young.
