K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
FedEx Corp. is partnering with Elroy Air, a startup that makes a large cargo drone, to test moving packages by air with no pilot on board.
FedEx plans to begin experimental flights next year using Elroy Air’s Chaparral aircraft to shuttle packages from one sorting hub to another, the companies said. The hybrid-powered electric aircraft can fly about 300 miles with as much as 500 pounds of cargo in a detachable pod.
“FedEx was built on innovation, and it continues to be an integral part of our culture and our business strategy,” Joe Stephens, a senior vice president for the company’s Express unit, said in an interview. “This is just another example where we’re innovating to drive efficiency, safety and reliability and support customer demand.”
Dozens of startups, including Archer Aviation Inc. and Joby Aviation Inc., are seeking to build electric aircraft that take off like helicopters and fly like small planes. Most are going after the passenger market and will start off with a pilot before eventually flying autonomously. Elroy Air is pursuing the cargo market exclusively and has designed its aircraft to fly without a pilot from the start.
Elroy Air, which is doing work in the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program, uses a hybrid of electricity and fuel to power the aircraft. The combination gives the aircraft more range and eliminates the need for building charging stations, said Kofi Asante, vice president of strategy and business development for the South San Francisco-based startup.
Continue reading: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-30/fedex-partners-with-elroy-air-to-test-pilotless-package-drone
FedEx plans to begin experimental flights next year using Elroy Air’s Chaparral aircraft to shuttle packages from one sorting hub to another, the companies said. The hybrid-powered electric aircraft can fly about 300 miles with as much as 500 pounds of cargo in a detachable pod.
“FedEx was built on innovation, and it continues to be an integral part of our culture and our business strategy,” Joe Stephens, a senior vice president for the company’s Express unit, said in an interview. “This is just another example where we’re innovating to drive efficiency, safety and reliability and support customer demand.”
Dozens of startups, including Archer Aviation Inc. and Joby Aviation Inc., are seeking to build electric aircraft that take off like helicopters and fly like small planes. Most are going after the passenger market and will start off with a pilot before eventually flying autonomously. Elroy Air is pursuing the cargo market exclusively and has designed its aircraft to fly without a pilot from the start.
Elroy Air, which is doing work in the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program, uses a hybrid of electricity and fuel to power the aircraft. The combination gives the aircraft more range and eliminates the need for building charging stations, said Kofi Asante, vice president of strategy and business development for the South San Francisco-based startup.
Continue reading: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-30/fedex-partners-with-elroy-air-to-test-pilotless-package-drone
