California drone startup Parallel Flight Technologies (PFT) has secured work from a unit of the US Department of Defense to develop its super heavy-lift Firefly UAV to fulfill the agency’s critical, long-distance mission objectives.
PFT said it had concluded a contract with the department’s Defense Innovation Unit to develop and adapt the heavy-lift, long-flying hybrid vertical takeoff and landing drone for specific demands of DOD missions. Those include enabling beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights of Firefly’s maximal 280-mile-plus capacity.
The value of the agreement was cited as $1 million, for which PFT will also work to reduce the drone’s time-between-overhaul requirements.
La Selva Beach, California-based PFT said the accord – covered under the National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) program – is the first phase of an anticipated multi-part relationship. As part of that, the startup’s Firefly drones will be equipped with a BVLOS communication system permitting the craft to fly autonomously using waypoints for the full length of its extended missions.
Probable initial DOD use cases for BVLOS-enhanced Firefly drones would be transporting blood and medical supplies over long distances in challenging climactic and other hostile conditions. PFT said subsequent development will aim to fulfill objectives specific to military missions that combine both heavy-lift payload and extended flight capacity requirements.
“We are thrilled to receive this $1 million dollar award to continue development and focus on the advancement of our technology,” said PFT CEO Craig Stevens. “This is a resounding vote of confidence from NSIC in the application and need of our technology across the Department of Defense. This contract reinforces our commitment to using our proprietary technology to enhance military, public safety, and commercial applications.”
PFT has developed its Parallel Hybrid Electric Multirotor system to deliver what the company says is radically better performance than Firefly’s nearest heavy-lift drone competitor. The 120-pound UAV can remain aloft for four hours with 40 pounds of payload and seven hours carrying 10 pounds, while reaching to speeds of 100 mph using fossil fuel- and 60V, 5000 mAh battery-powered engines.
In addition to the expanding array of military purposes under its DOD contract, PFT will also continue developing Firefly UAVs for the firefighter, utility, infrastructure, medical, environmental preservation, and disaster response clients it also serves.
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