Elroy Air in San Francisco recently revealed its pre production Chaparral C1. thisIt is an autonomous VTOL lift and cruise cargo drone that uses a hybrid electric system to transport up to 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of cargo in a canoe shaped cargo hold, with a transport distance of up to 300 miles (482 kilometers).

Chaparral mainly targets express logistics and delivery services. Elroy's claimed mission is to ensure that every person on Earth receives goods on the same day. Although this goal seems to be a hundred years away, there is no doubt that there will be turbulence in short to medium distance logistics when the US FAA begins issuing approvals for ongoing VTOL projects.

Elroy did not quote the maximum speed or cruising speed of this machine, but claimed that it can be transported directly to the loading dock at five times the speed of a truck. Autonomous flight also means eliminating human errors - not to mention the cost, although it looks like the size of a small airplane, its eight propeller electric VTOL lift system means it can take off and land more or less within its own occupied space.

Although the VTOL propellers and the four cruise propellers along the wings are all fully electric and battery powered, Chaparral running an additional gas turbine generator can effectively keep the battery fully charged. Therefore, it will not be zero emission, but its cost includes longer range and instant refueling - rather than having to sit on a charger or perform battery swapping operations during landing.

The company stated that it has secured agreements for over 500 aircraft from commercial, defense, and humanitarian clients, valued at over $1 billion, with each aircraft priced at over $2 million. This is a heavy blow to a large cargo drone. 150 of these planes will be handed over to Mesa Airlines, which will use them for express packages and medical transportation. Another 100 will be transported to AYR Logistics, which will use it to greatly expand the scope and convenience of its humanitarian aid projects in remote areas. Elroy refers to Chaparral as an "aerial conveyor belt" that will be able to automatically load and unload its cargo barrels. However, although we have no doubt about the capability of this technology, problems still exist.

Elroy did not provide a date for its deployment. But its customers are clearly ready to switch to autonomous mode, and the company has received support from the US Air Force - just secured an additional $1.7 million contract as part of the AFWERX Agility Prime program. This is another funding in addition to the $48 million raised by the company before August last year.

Source: Military of Strong Countries