Hector Xu

Hector (Haofeng) Xu is the founder and CEO of Rotor Technologies, a company that builds large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for industrial applications.12 He founded Rotor in 2021 and has been leading the company since then.2 Xu's educational background includes a BA and MEng in Aerospace and Aerothermal Engineering from the University of Cambridge, and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and Plasma Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).24

Career and Research

Before founding Rotor, Xu held positions at MIT:

• Research Affiliate in Aeronautics and Astronautics (2021-present)1
• Postdoctoral Associate focusing on Sustainable Aviation (2020-2021)2

At MIT's Laboratory for Aviation and Environment, Xu's research focused on improving aviation sustainability and reducing its environmental impact.4 His work included developing "electroaerodynamic" ion propulsion and assessing innovative aviation technologies.4

Rotor Technologies

Under Xu's leadership, Rotor has developed two significant UAVs:

1. Airtruck: A utility UAV with over 1,000 lbs of payload capacity6
2. Sprayhawk: An agricultural UAV with a 110-gallon capacity6

Rotor's approach focuses on uncrewed-only missions, which Xu believes gives their autonomous rotorcraft a better chance of entering commercial operations.5 The company aims to make vertical aviation safer and more accessible using autonomy.3

Xu has emphasized Rotor's commitment to bringing drone manufacturing back to the United States, with a focus on larger and more innovative designs compared to global competition.6