The startup Elroy Air is known for its production of cargo aircraft - aircraft intended for transporting goods.
With the help of technology and the inventiveness of engineers, Elroy is creating a real revolution in the world of "express transport".
The latest demonstration is the aircraft “chaparral“, a hybrid-electric VTOL capable of supporting up to 500 pounds of load. Fast, efficient and innovative, the little chaparral reminds us of the power of Elroy Air and the skill of the producers.
We use the words of the co-founder David Merrill, to introduce the aircraft and its main features:
Chaparral is designed for complete end-to-end automation and will enable express shipping to thousands of new places safely and efficiently. It's a drone for faster deliveries than land transport and at a lower cost than today's traditional airplanes.
David Merrill, co-founder and CEO of elroy air
Elroy Air's cargo drone
The chaparral drone of elroy air It has a range of 300 miles. In this way, it manages to deliver its cargo quickly and without errors, arriving where dozens of other cargo drones fail.
Thanks to its hybrid-electric powertrain and lift and flight motors, the vehicle is able to land, deposit the load, pick up another load and then take off again.
All this happens in a very short time and without the intervention of an operator.
At the moment, the drone is designed to transport cargo in lightweight aerodynamic pods, so as to “put it to the test”.
Chaparral goes further than expected
The future of the chaparral cargo drone turns out to be brighter than expected.
The startup recently announced that it has made agreements for a supply of 500 aircraft. Customers come from all main sectors of interest, from defense to the humanitarian branch.
Among those interested, it also appears Mesa Airlines, an American regional airline that operates large air fleets.
Mesa collaborates with major brands such as American Airlines, United Airlines and DHL. It currently intends to order 150 vehicles to handle the sending and transport of express parcels intended for healthcare.
Below, J's comment and explanationJonathan Ornstein, the president of Mesa Airlines.
We are seeing more and more demand for same-day and next-day deliveries, but so many rural communities have been cut off from the national transportation system. The shortage of pilots and environmental regulations make this even more challenging.
With the chaparral, we are thrilled to be able to provide autonomous freight deliveries to help reconnect those communities.
Based on all the information obtained so far, we can ascertain the advantages of this innovative cargo drone. "THEThe chaparral will be a vital logistical link worldwide for those who live in places with unreliable roads and in remote and rural areas that today take longer to reach."
