A Heavy-Duty Drone That Can Carry 500 Pounds Is Planned To Be Tested This Year

The idea of delivery drones is not new but so far, what we have are compact unmanned aerial vehicles that can carry only small and light-weight cargoes. However, this will soon change.

Elroy Air, a startup based in San Francisco, is making Chaparral, a large drone that is able to deliver up to 500 pounds of goods for a distance of 300 miles. What the company aims at is a substitute for trucks on difficult routes.

The drone can deliver up to 500 pounds

David Merrill, the firm’s CEO said to Forbes that they wanted the Chaparral to be something like the Ford F-150, a full-sized pickup, but instead, the drone will cover airborne operation.

Elroy’s UAV can leave the ground and land upright, thanks to its six rotors. This also means that the drone needs no runway or an airport to take off. There is a rotor at the back that enables the drone to fly quickly. The UAV features a hybrid-electric powertrain so it does not require a charging station.

The Chaparral does not use a cargo hole but instead, it stores the load in a pod-like part, which makes filling the goods in or offloading while the UAV is still flying possible.

This design proves to be a promising investment as Elroy has just received $9.2 million of funding.

The drone features six motors

This drone can become handy for more tasks than just delivery cargoes. The Chaparral is capable of supporting disaster relief or even military operations in difficult areas.

However, Elroy still has a long way to go to truly gain the trust of investors. The first test is expected to happen this year, but the Chaparral will probably under development for a few more years to come.

Other companies are having the same idea and also making their prototypes of heavy-duty UAV. A prime example is Boeing with their drone that has similar load limit as the Chaparral.