Pyka, a North American manufacturer, has developed the world’s first autonomous electric cargo plane, the Pelican Cargo. This aircraft can currently transport, independently and over relatively short distances, up to 180 kg of goods.
This innovation is in line with drones capable of transporting small orders within a restricted area. This is particularly the case of Wing’s drone fleets, which mainly deliver food or medicine for the moment only in a few small cities in the United States, but also in Europe. In comparison, Pyka’s Pelican Cargo steps up a gear.
A range of 320 km
The manufacturer has just unveiled the world’s largest carbon-free autonomous cargo plane, with a range of up to 200 miles, or more than 320 km, and a payload of up to 400 pounds (just over 180kg). We are obviously still very far from what traditional cargo planes can carry today, but that would be enough to send vital goods to areas in need, for example.
The device is equipped with four electric motors with a combined power of 100 kW, giving it a cruising speed of between 100 and 150 km/h, day and night. Since the batteries are interchangeable, the aircraft can be used for several deliveries in a row.
Its aim is to eliminate CO2 emissions from the supply chain, while offering a significant speed advantage over ground transport. The device is currently still in the test phase, before being marketed by the end of the year. The manufacturer has already announced more than 80 orders for its Pelican Cargo, mainly in North America and Europe.
