Simon Thompson has joined Windracers Group (https://windracers.com/), the low-cost platform for autonomous air transport, in a brand new position as Group Chief Govt Officer. He’ll initially deal with product R&D, fundraising & international progress of the corporate.
Windracers was based in 2017 with a transparent mission of utilizing self-flying low-cost drones to ship humanitarian assist to distant communities. The imaginative and prescient of bringing prosperity to people who want it lives on right this moment.
Its ULTRA UAV – a strong, twin-engine fixed-wing plane with a 10-metre wingspan – can take off, fly and land safely with out the necessity of a distant pilot due to its proprietary Masterless autopilot system. The multi-purpose drone can carry 100 kg as much as 1000 km, with purposes starting from the supply of parcels and medical provides to humanitarian assist and the detection of forest fires.
Simon Thompson, incoming Group CEO of Windracers, stated: “I’m delighted to be becoming a member of this cutting-edge British know-how enterprise primarily based in Southampton. Windracers is the low-cost champion of autonomous aviation and we are actually very properly positioned to take this functionality international. There may be a lot to do, however the latest work with the Royal Navy and British Antarctic Survey are a transparent demonstration of the corporate’s nice potential to profit many enterprise sectors world wide.”
Stephen Wright, Founder & Govt Chairman of Windracers added “We’re targeted on making self-flying plane reasonably priced, reliable and an on a regular basis actuality. Simon’s background in constructing buyer benefiting know-how, deep logistics experience and expertise as a FTSE CEO can be invaluable in supporting our mission of taking Windracers’ autonomous drone platform international.”
Simon’s digital experience constructed at corporations akin to Apple & lastminute.com mixed along with his deep logistics experience from Ocado PLC & Royal Mail will present invaluable perception to an already proficient crew.
Windracers lately expanded into North America, launching the world’s first AI middle targeted on autonomous aviation with the esteemed Purdue College in Indiana. The middle, named AIDA3, is geared toward realizing the complete transformational potential of uncrewed aerial autos (UAVs) and associated applied sciences by guaranteeing self-flying plane may be operated effectively and at scale. The corporate’s ULTRA UAV has accomplished its first flights in america with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval.
Windracers supplies options throughout 5 sectors: Mail & Parcel, Humanitarian Help, Medical, Defence and Environmental Safety. It has already accomplished profitable flight trials with Royal Mail, Royal Navy, MOD, British Antarctic Survey and Future Flight problem for UK Analysis and Innovation (UKRI).