This Autonomous Aircraft Picks Up Cargo Loads On Its Own

Technology advancement has reached a point where it’s completely feasible to have an autonomous aircraft, even one that meets all the safety requirements to avoid potential harm for people.

Elroy air is a company that’s working towards this goal. It has developed a hybrid-electric VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft with a total cargo capacity of 136 kilograms and a range of up to 482 kilometers. This range is enough to replace some medium-length ground-freight routes.

And among the new aspects demonstrated by the company, there is one where the autonomous aircraft can pick up cargo on its own and the loading process doesn’t involve humans. This interesting feature could mean that a cargo operation will be more efficient, such as an all-day operation as well as low-lift urgent deliveries of masses of emergency supplies.

With its approach to autonomous cargo loading and unloading features and a more efficient hybrid fuel system that doesn’t require major charging infrastructure for operation, Elroy hopes to commercialize its services before other kinds of designs. The company is also aiming to serve a wider range of customers in various areas including military, humanitarian, commercial, with its first test flight completed earlier in 2019.

In late August, the company completed its first flights of mass cargo VTOL. The name of the tested vehicle is Chaparral, which could carry over 113 kilograms at the time over 482 kilometers. The aircraft, weighing 511 kilograms, was a life-sized testing version of the commercial Chaparral system that it panned to deploy.