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Channel Islands, The Ohio State University, the first test flight of its W5000 large drone with a 1/3-scale
UCLA and Oklahoma University are working experimental aircraft, The first model W5000 has a maximum
on software development for the aircraft. The takeoff weight of 10.8 tonnes, a maximum payload of 5 tonnes,
pre-production prototype aircraft weighed and a standard cruising range of 1,200 kilometers that can reach
about 2,700 pounds (1,225 kg) for the first up to 2,600 km. The drone can use standard cargo containers and
flight and is capable of a maximum gross palettes, and its 65-cubic-meter cargo compartment is capable
weight (with payload) of up to 3,100 pounds of accommodating most types of freight. Tengden Technology’s
(1,406 kg) at altitudes up to 22,000 feet (6700 Scorpion D, which has a maximum takeoff weight is 4.35 tons
meters) and 200 knots. and a payload capacity of about 1.5 tons, completed its maiden
flight in Sichuan last October.
In October last year, Airbus successfully tested
a small-scale demonstration version of its
future “cargo copter” drone, which is designed Speeding Ahead
to transport 250 kg of payload across a max- Dronamics, the first cargo drone company to receive a light
imum range of just over 300 kilometers. The UAS operator certificate (LUC), is getting ready for the inaugu-
demonstration model of the heavy-load cargo ral commercial flight and mass production of its flagship Black
drone was flown in trial missions by the com- Swan unmanned aerial vehicle, a long-range drone that can carry
pany’s UAS New Programmes group, which 350kg up to 2,500 km.
worked on the project with its rapid-devel-
opment X-Works team. The small-scale test “We are now ready to mass manufacture the first units,” says
model - a 35 kg (77 lb.) vertical takeoff and Svilen Rangelov, Dronamics Co-Founder and CEO. “Our plan is
landing craft – was equipped with Airbus’s to work with partners on a regional basis. We are talking about
DeckFind technology that ensures safe city-to-city connectivity, routes of 300 km or more. The big cities
automatic landing on the surfaces of ships. get the big freighters; we are focused on secondary markets
Although the initial deployment is planned for where you cannot have such freighters. These markets also have
military transport, the freight drone is likely to needs that need to be met the same day. We believe we have a
be adapted for commercial use as well. sweet spot between 300 km to 2500 km.”
In January, Pyka unveiled the Pelican Cargo, The company claims that the Black Swan, which was unveiled to
which it claims is the largest zero-emission the public in December 2021, will enable same-day delivery to the
cargo aircraft on the market. The Pelican has most remote areas up to 80 per cent faster, 50 per cent cheaper,
a nose-loading configuration with a sliding and with 60 per cent less emissions, than other transportation
cargo tray and can carry a payload of up to methods. The EU’s LUC, which Dronamics received in May last
400lbs. It has a range of up to 200miles. The year from the Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (TM –
first commercial operation of the aircraft, CAD), gives the company the right to commence flight operations,
which is undergoing testing at the compa- including Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) operations, across
ny’s flight test facility in Northern California, EU countries. The drone’s first commercial flight is likely to take
is expected in the second half of 2023. place later this year or early next year.

According to the company, the platform Dronamics has signed a contract with Quickstep, a company
specializing in aerospace composites, to have the Black Swan
will “enhance express logistics networks,
enable connectivity of remote rural commu- manufactured at the Australian company’s facilities in New
nities, and ensure fast and reliable access to South Wales. In September last year, the middle-mile cargo drone
developer said that it was partnering with Cotesa, European
vital goods and supplies” for areas in need. manufacturer of composite fiber components for aerospace and
“Pelican Cargo will have a significant positive automotive companies, for manufacturing enough drones to
impact on people’s lives,” says Pyka CEO and meet the expected demand in Europe when commercial opera-
co-founder, Michael Norcia. “We designed this tions in the region commence.
plane to eliminate C02 emissions from the
logistics chain, while offering a significant The Black Swan, which has been designed as a fixed-wing air-
speed advantage over ground transportation craft that can fly and land on runways as short as 400 meters
and operating costs at a fraction of conven- in length, is capable of flying at an altitude of 20,000 ft and has
tional air transportation.” an average speed of 200 km/hour, or 125 mph. Touted as the
most fuel-efficient unmanned cargo airplane, the cost of cargo
delivery by the Black Swan is expected to be up to 50 per cent
Action in China lower than existing same-day air cargo.
In China, cargo drone company AirWhiteWhale
is among the startups that have ventured In March 2022, Dronamics announced that it had added three
into the large cargo drone sector in China. airports in Germany - Paderborn-Lippstadt, Rostock–Laage
Tengden Technology Company is another. and Airport Weeze - to its European Droneport Network. The
constantly growing network currently includes more than 40
In October last year, AirWhiteWhale conducted locations in 14 European countries.

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