[mrfusion]

I always assumed the main benefit of an auto gyro was a fixed pitch main propeller for the simplicity and cost benefits.

I guess if you could attach the vehicle to the ground and spin up the propellor and then release you could get the same effect.

Or another option is if the rear propeller could turn its rudder against the spin direction.

[tweedledee]

It’s still simpler and cheaper. The swashplate is much simpler. Much less power is fed to the main rotor as inertia is built up slowly and only for take off. The lower standard of reliability as worst that happens is you don’t take off. Engines are pushing a more forgiving higher speed prop, so engines and fuel are cheaper.

I don’t know how marginal jumpstarts are, possibly very, which would limit the utility. Especially where there is a runway nearby.