Specialized cargo drone developer MightyFly has unveiled the third generation of its Centro hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing craft (eVTOL), equipped with additional features and performance enhancements the startup will demonstrate during events later this year.
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Cargo drone transport specialist Silent Arrow is looking to extend the dramatic innovations behind its 2019 heavy-lift GD-2000 transport glider through its new project developing a UAV capable of carrying similarly massive payloads up to 345 miles for the US Air Force.
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Cargo drone startup Elroy Air has announced a double milestone with the initial test flight of its C1 Chaparral freight UAV, which in turn represents what is thought to have been the sector’s first trial of a turbogenerator-hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) plane.
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Ascendant cargo delivery drone startup MightyFly has been recruited by the US Air Force’s emerging tech development unit, AFWERX, in a contract initially focusing on the company’s fully autonomous self-loading payload system for next generation freight aircraft.
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The UK UAV company Skyports Drone Services didn’t wait long to put its decision to acquire Pyka heavy-lift cargo craft into action, announcing this week it had successfully completed a trial of their aerial applications during a Royal Navy tech demonstration event.
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Global air services company Bristow Group is looking to diversify from its historic passenger transport activities by securing preferred delivery of medium-haul Elroy Air Chaparral drones to facilitate its expansion into cargo operation.
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Up-and-coming cargo delivery drone developer MightyFly is preparing what the company calls the first public demonstration of an autonomous, fixed-wing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with planned flights in Michigan of its third-generation UAV hauling 100 lb. of freight.
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Scaling efforts by Italian cargo and heavy-lift drone developer FlyingBasket have received further lift with longtime strategic partner and European aviation and defense giant Leonardo assuming a direct equity stake in the Milan-based company.
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Top US cargo carrier Ameriflight has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate drone deliveries as part of its regular services, and will soon begin using California-based UAV developer Matternet’s M2 craft and navigating systems to launch that activity.
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Just two weeks after air taxi developer Autoflight broke a new distance flight record for electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the company inked a deal to provide Singapore air fleet management company EVFLY with over 200 of its passenger planes and cargo drones.
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San Francisco Bay Area cargo UAV developer MightyFly has unveiled the second generation of its hybrid-powered vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone, Cento, which it plans to produce and operate for end-to-end freight services on flights of up to 600 miles.
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Cargo drone developer Elroy Air says it has secured the purchase at least 20 of its Chaparral autonomous planes from aircraft and helicopter leasing company LCI, raising the total value of its order book to over $2 billion, according to the company.
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Just a month after its mighty Rhaegal-A “Alpha” transportation UAV hauled a world-record-setting 829-pound payload, California start-up Sabrewing this week landed a multimillion-dollar contract to provide its craft to the Arabian Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMC) to support Saudi Arabia’s stated goal of becoming a global center of heavy-lift drone activity.
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European aircraft and aerospace giant Airbus says it successfully tested a small-scale demonstration version of its future “cargo copter” drone, which is designed to transport 250 kg of payload across a maximum range of just over 300 kilometers.
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In addition to the large influx of both military-grade and consumer UAVs from abroad to Ukraine forces battling Russian troops, Kiev will soon take delivery of specialized UK heavy-lift cargo drones that have been tested by the British Navy in various scenarios.
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Autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone manufacturer Volansi has unveiled its new VOLY 50 series of UAVs designed for long-haul transport of flexible payloads.
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Natilus, developer of long-distance, cost-cutting cargo drones, says it has secured an eye-opening $6 billion worth of advance purchase commitments for hundreds of its craft from an array of aviation clients.
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Diversified UAV equipment and services company Volatus Aerospace says it has secured delivery of next-generation Natilus long-distance cargo drones, with the first production run of the craft expected in 2025.
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Integrated drone services company Volatus says it is teaming up with uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) producer Avidrone Aerospace to offer clients autonomous cargo drone delivery services in markets around the world.
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A UK advanced mobility startup has won a government grant to support development of its hydrogen-powered, emissions-free cargo sub planned for use on point-to-point transport missions.
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DHL, the world’s leading logistics service provider, has taken another step toward its goal of reaching emission neutrality by 2050. This week its DHL Express unit announced it has begun assembly of an electric freight network with the acquisition of 12 battery-powered aircraft from Seattle-based Eviation.
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Global logistics giant DHL says it’s expanding its drone activities with middle-mile uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) deliveries. First flights of the same-day service are expected later this year.
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German freight forwarding heavyweight Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has announced it will start using drones for deliveries across Europe in 2022. The move is seen in large part as a workaround solution to the major and continuing disruptions in traditional supply chains created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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FlytBase has teamed up with IAG Cargo to pilot autonomous drones usage in its Madrid-based warehouse. The pilot program is hoping to test and make any adjustments to the hardware and software before the program is rolled out to all of IAG Cargo’s warehouses, and possibly to the rest of the warehouses owned by IAG Cargo’s sister company, British Airways.
