VOLARE: Electric VTOL Aircraft for Regional and Remote Logistics

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Transport infrastructure reaches its limits where terrain, distance, or time constraints make conventional logistics inefficient. In these environments, air transport can provide direct routes without relying on roads or fixed infrastructure. The company VOLARE develops electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft under the name APELEON, designed to operate in such conditions by combining vertical lift with efficient forward flight. The concept is built around connecting locations that are otherwise difficult to access, particularly in regional and rural areas. By integrating electric propulsion with aircraft architectures that can take off and land without runways, the systems are intended to support logistics operations that require flexibility, short deployment times, and minimal ground infrastructure.

Technology and Product

Electric VTOL aircraft must reconcile the high power demand of vertical lift with the aerodynamic efficiency required for cruise, while keeping propulsion, structures, controls, and operations simple enough to meet stringent mass, energy, and certification constraints. Apeleon’s systems aim to combine the vertical take-off capability of a helicopter with the cruise efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft. This allows for energy-efficient forward flight once airborne, which is particularly relevant for medium-range transport missions. Its cargo drone platform, designed for logistics applications, supports payload transport without requiring complex ground infrastructure. The aircraft is built with a focus on minimal mechanical complexity and efficient operation, while maintaining adaptability for different mission setups.

APELEON SCALAR: Electric VTOL cargo drone designed for take-off and landing without runway infrastructure. (© VOLARE)

Industrial Fit and Applications

The technology is suited to scenarios where speed, accessibility, and infrastructure independence are critical. This includes transporting medical supplies, spare parts, or time-sensitive goods between facilities that are not directly connected by efficient ground routes. Applications extend to emergency response, where rapid deployment can support healthcare or technical operations in remote areas. In logistics, the ability to operate without runways enables point-to-point delivery models that are less dependent on centralized infrastructure.

Point-to-point aerial logistics reduce reliance on road and transport infrastructure. (© VOLARE)

Founding Team

Apeleon is developed by VOLARE GmbH, an Austrian company founded in 2017 by engineer and pilot Andreas Fürlinger. The company is based near Vienna and brings together engineers with experience in aviation, including work on aircraft programs such as the Airbus A380 and Solar Impulse. The team focuses on advancing VTOL aircraft concepts through iterative development, including scaled demonstrators and flight testing, with the aim of progressing toward commercial cargo applications.