Defense, Security and Relief Missions with Zuri Hybrid VTOL

Zuri Hybrid VTOL is redefining regional air mobility for defense, security, and humanitarian missions. Founded in 2017 and developed in Prague, Czech Republic, a country with more than a century of aerospace tradition and full membership in the European Union and NATO, Zuri has been advancing a certifiable hybrid aircraft for nearly a decade. Mission variants include passengers, cargo, HEMS and SAR, and relief operations.

In defense, security, and relief operations, every hour matters. Fleets are aging, over-tasked, and too costly for routine missions, while ground convoys and fixed-wing aircraft remain dependent on infrastructure that may not exist.

 

Why it Matters

For defense, security, and relief leaders, time, access, and readiness are mission-critical. Traditional mobility solutions are costly, infrastructure-dependent, or too limited in range. The result is delayed operations, higher expenses, and reduced mission effectiveness. Every hour lost waiting on runways or convoys reduces mission effectiveness and puts communities at risk.

Problems We Solve

• Road traffic: slow, congested, and unreliable for urgent movement of personnel or supplies
• Airports: limited in number, inflexible, and prone to delays, unsuitable for time-sensitive missions
• Helicopters: expensive to acquire, noisy, fuel-intensive, and high-maintenance, making them impractical for frequent or regional deployment
• Fully electric eVTOLs (battery-only aircraft): limited in range and dependent on charging infrastructure that does not exist at scale, especially in austere environments. Turnaround time for battery swaps or recharging further limits readiness

Zuri Hybrid VTOL overcomes these barriers with hybrid-electric propulsion, the ability to take off conventionally or vertically, and true regional range. It is a mission-ready system designed for today's operational requirements.

 

Hybrid VTOL Designed for Mission Readiness

Zuri Hybrid VTOL is built on one certifiable platform adaptable for diverse missions:

• Passenger transport: pilot with four passengers
• Cargo logistics: modular bay for 300+ kg (660+ lb) payload
• EMS and SAR: stretcher and rescue configuration
• Defense, security, and relief: surveillance, mobility, and austere resupply

CTOL and VTOL Flexibility

Operate as a conventional aircraft from short runways or as a VTOL from pads, heliports, or unprepared terrain. This flexibility ensures readiness in urban, remote, and contested environments.

Ready-to-Go Infrastructure

Zuri requires no new charging networks. Its hybrid turbogenerator recharges batteries in flight, operates on globally available aviation fuel, and is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)–ready from the start, reducing emissions without added infrastructure costs.

 

Demonstrated Progress

Zuri has advanced step by step since its founding in 2017, with steady progress from subscale models to full-scale demonstrators.

• More than 10 subscale models flown, including transition flights with the V1NG drone
• Technology Demonstrator (TD 1.0): 11-meter demonstrator validated vertical takeoff and hover
• Technology Demonstrator (TD 2.0): a full-scale unmanned two-seater UAV with an integrated hybrid-electric system, supported by an iron bird test rig. The first flight of TD 2.0 is planned for 2027. Depending on demand, TD 2.0 could also evolve into a commercial UAV or drone, and into a UAS configuration for specialized missions. It may be commercialized ahead of the certifiable passenger aircraft.

 

Performance Snapshot

Performance values are indicative and may vary depending on mission kit, payload, density altitude, and reserve requirements.

 

Defense Applications

Rapid Personnel Transport

Deploy command staff, medics, or specialists directly to operational areas. With ranges up to 700 km (435 mi) in 2 hours, Zuri Hybrid VTOL reduces reliance on airports and enables true point-to-point mobility.

Tactical Surveillance and Border Monitoring

Support ISR and patrol missions with up to 700 km of hybrid range. Quiet operations improve discretion in sensitive environments, while vertical landing enables quick payload swaps, personnel deployment, or resupply.

Logistics and Resupply in Austere Environments

Deliver 300+ kilograms of supplies, medical kits, or communications gear into remote bases, mountain terrain, coastal islands, or disaster zones. No runways required.

Complementary to Helicopters

Helicopters remain vital for heavy lift and hover-intensive tasks. Zuri Hybrid VTOL complements them by reducing costs on regional legs, offering higher cruise speed, lower fuel burn, and smaller ground footprints. A mixed fleet lowers total mission cost while retaining full capability.

 

Security Missions

Access to Remote or Urban Areas

Stage from compact helipads, vertiports, short strips, or unprepared sites. Reach rooftops, hospitals, energy facilities, or border outposts directly.

Infrastructure Protection

Conduct extended patrols of pipelines, power grids, ports, and transport corridors. Efficient cruise enables long linear surveillance, followed by vertical landing for coordinated response.

 

Humanitarian and Relief Operations

Medical Response

Configured for HEMS and SAR, Zuri Hybrid VTOL enables stretcher transport and rapid evacuation from sites inaccessible by ground. Vertical access shortens response times in golden-hour rescues.

Disaster Relief

Deliver food, water, shelter materials, or communications gear to isolated communities impacted by floods, earthquakes, or wildfires. Quiet hybrid operations reduce disruption while ensuring reliable access.

Why Zuri Wins

Only Zuri Hybrid VTOL combines regional range, VTOL access, wingborne efficiency, low emissions, and lower purchase cost in a single certifiable platform.

Differentiators

• Wingborne design requires 10x less thrust in forward flight than multicopters
•  2.5× lower acquisition cost compared to twin-engine helicopters ¹
• Up to 100x quieter and 10x lower emissions than helicopters ¹
• Eight rotors provide redundancy with no single point of failure
• Tiltrotors remain active, unlike lift + cruise VTOLs that carry inactive motors
• Triple-redundant flight control reduces pilot workload and enables future autonomy
• Advanced composites deliver high strength at low weight
• R&D efficiency: TD 1.0 built for about $1.5M vs. $265M for Archer’s comparable demonstrator

¹ Based on internal engineering analysis vs. representative twin-engine helicopter class, standard conditions.

 

Strategic Advantage for Defense, Security, and Relief Leaders

• One certifiable airframe supporting multiple mission variants
• Lower lifecycle costs compared to helicopters
• Quiet and sustainable operations with SAF-ready hybrid propulsion
• No need for new charging infrastructure thanks to in-flight recharging
• Certification pathway aligned with EU and US regulators 
• Market potential of $350B by 2030 and $590B by 2035 (Morgan Stanley AAM report)

Executive Summary

• VTOL for regional mobility: no airports required
• Hybrid-electric system: 7x longer usable range than battery-only eVTOLs, with up to 700 km (435 miles) of operational reach
• Sustainability: up to 80% fewer emissions with SAF
• Cost efficiency: 2.5× less expensive to acquire and up to 70% less costly to operate than helicopters
• Proven R&D efficiency: TD 1.0 flown at $1.5M USD vs. $265M USD for a comparable Archer demonstrator
• Massive market opportunity: $590B USD projected by 2035

Zuri Hybrid VTOL is not just an addition but a modernization step, replacing aging rotary assets in many missions while complementing them in others.

 

Next Steps

Zuri Hybrid VTOL is designed for defense, security, and humanitarian leaders who need faster, cleaner, and more flexible regional mobility.

📩 For mission inquiries, contact our team at investor@zuri.com. 

 

Related Missions

Enhancing Border Security and Rapid Response ›

Zuri Hybrid VTOL expands patrol radius, increases time on task, and provides vertical access for interdiction, rescue, or resupply in contested zones.

Fast, Flexible Personnel Transport for Critical Missions ›

Zuri Hybrid VTOL rapidly inserts up to four personnel with equipment into remote or contested areas, providing point-to-point access without reliance on runways or charging networks.

Hybrid VTOL and Helicopters ›

Zuri Hybrid VTOL complements helicopters by reducing cruise cost and extending reach.