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While pursuing his PhD in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Hector Xu decided to take helicopter pilot lessons to gain firsthand familiarity with the technology he was working toward developing. Then, with the constraints he and the rest of the world experienced during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Hector took some time to reflect upon his research and practical experiences. “You ended up spending most of your time in front of your computer rather than in the lab, rather than interacting with people, going to conferences,” he said. “And I think it made me really yearn to do something that was more impactful in the real world.” This was also around the same time that practical real-world use of drone systems was taking off.

He decided to focus on how to minimize the risks that helicopter pilots face with every flight by developing an autonomous, helicopter-sized drone. With his education in the field of aeronautics and the increasing demand for unmanned aerial systems, Hector founded Rotor Technologies in 2021 out of Nashua, New Hampshire, with the mission to combine the benefits of drones with the large scale amenities of a helicopter. One of the biggest challenges the drone industry faces is that a drone, regardless of its size, can only fly for about 20 minutes. Rotor Technologies envisioned drones that can support heavy loads and remain airborne for close to an hour.

Hector’s first step was to develop a relationship with Robinson Helicopter Company. Founded in 1973 in Torrance, California, Robinson produces some of the most trusted helicopters on the market. They require all of their helicopters to be fully serviced after 2,000 flight hours. Hector approached them to see if he and his team could be part of the overhaul and transition the manned vehicle into a drone. The next step was to retrofit a Robinson R44, a full-sized, 4-seater helicopter, with all the technology it would need to be fully autonomous.

To date, Rotor Technologies has retrofitted two different drone helicopter models, the Airtruck and the Sprayhawk. Both drones have a max gross weight of 1,200 lbs, a 12.5-gallon fuel capacity with a 50-minute flight time, an operating range of 5 miles, and a max altitude of 1,500 ft above ground level or 14,000 ft above sea level. The Airtruck has a wide range of application possibilities and can support a 1,102 lb payload. The Sprayhawk is designed with a specialized sprayer system to be used as an agricultural drone. While most heavy-lift agricultural drones can support a payload of approximately 10 gallons, the Sprayhawk can hold 110 gallons of agricultural treatments.

“We’re using these helicopter platforms and adding a very high level of autonomy and digital flight controls that allow an operator to fly it like a drone,” Hector says. “They’re heavy-lift UAVs, very large drones, and I think that it’s kind of this clash of two worlds, of the drone world and the helicopter world.” The combination of these aerial platforms has the potential to reshape the drone industry. Hector’s platform eliminates two of the biggest deficiencies in drone technologies: limited cargo capacity and short flight time.

Additionally, it keeps helicopter pilots safe on the ground, while still employed, as the drone needs to have a human in charge from the ground. “We have a very careful approach to automation, but we also retain a highly skilled human expert in the loop,” Hector says. “We get the best of the autonomous systems, which are very reliable, and the best of humans, who are really great at decision-making and dealing with unexpected scenarios.”

Hector also says that every aspect of the drone is made in the United States and that they have the capability to retrofit other helicopter models as well. He foresees converting privately owned helicopters into drones for clients as a large portion of their future business. As for production, Hector hopes to have 20 operational helicopter drones ready for the market in 2025. “We believe in a long-term future where there are no longer pilots in the cockpit, so we’re building for this remote pilot paradigm,” he said.

As Rotor Technologies continues to innovate and push boundaries, Hector Xu’s vision of a safer, more efficient future for aviation is rapidly taking flight. By blending cutting-edge autonomy with trusted helicopter technology, Rotor Technologies is positioning itself to lead a transformation in how aerial vehicles are used across industries ranging from agriculture to logistics.

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