By Courtesy of Pyka
An American manufacturer has developed a first-of-its-kind autonomous electric cargo plane. The Pelican Cargo can currently transport loads of up to 180 kg autonomously and over relatively short distances.
An American manufacturer has developed a first-of-its-kind autonomous electric cargo plane. The Pelican Cargo can currently transport loads of up to 180 kg autonomously and over relatively short distances.
This innovation echoes the drones that are already capable of transporting and delivering small orders in a restricted area. This is notably the case with Wing's drone fleets, which essentially deliver food or medicine for the moment, and only in a few small cities in the United States and Europe. In comparison, Pyka's Pelican Cargo takes things to the next level.
The manufacturer has unveiled the world's largest zero-emission cargo airplane, with a range of up to 200 miles, or more than 320 km, and a payload of up to 400 pounds, or just over 180 kg. This is obviously still a long way from what traditional cargo planes can currently carry, but it would be enough to send vital goods to areas in need, for example.
The aircraft is equipped with four electric motors with a combined power of 100 kW, giving the plane a cruising speed of between 100 and 150 km/h, day and night. As the batteries are interchangeable, the aircraft can be used for several deliveries in a row.
Its goal is to eliminate CO2 emissions from the logistics chain, while offering a significant speed advantage over ground transportation. The aircraft is currently still in the testing phase, before likely being commercialized by the end of the year. The manufacturer says that it already has more than 80 orders for its Pelican Cargo, mainly in North America and Europe.
