Up-and-coming cargo delivery drone developer MightyFly is preparing what the company calls the first public demonstration of an autonomous, fixed-wing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with planned flights in Michigan of its third-generation UAV hauling 100 lb. of freight.
San Francisco Bay Area-based MightyFly this morning announced the demonstration program, which is being planned in coordination with Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME). MightyFly said it has already received $150,000 in funding from the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) to stage the 2024 flights of its still unnamed third-generation cargo drone.
MightyFly said its aerial exhibit of the autonomous drone – which boasts 100 pounds of cargo capacity, and a 6 foot x 19 inch x 18 inch payload bay capable of carrying up to 212 small USPS packages – is expected to be the first public display of its kind.
Though no exact date was communicated for the demo flights, the showcasing of MightyFly’s latest cargo drone will require some fairly quick work, after the company’s introduction of its second-generation Cento freight delivery UAV just last January.
Read more: MightyFly unveils its Cento second-generation cargo drone
That craft featured a similar 100 lb. payload capacity, as well as a hybrid engine capable of an extended 600 miles of flight, eVTOL capabilities limited takeoff and landing space requirements, and an automated conveyor belt for loading and offloading of packages that obviates the need for human intervention.
Those capabilities are designed to allow MightyFly drones to make numerous automated cargo deliveries over large areas, and in shorter time frames than existing ground or point-to-point aerial options.
Company CEO Manal Habib notes those capacities will be of particular use to the heavy transport and logistics demands of Michigan’s auto industry, as well as the Wolverine State’s retail, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries that increasingly operate on as-needed, just-in-time supply deliveries.
“We are excited to be the first large, autonomous, fixed-wing eVTOL cargo delivery company to demonstrate how autonomous aerial expedited logistics solutions will better serve Michiganders,” said Habib. “This demonstration will be the first steppingstone for the efficient flow of goods across the world, making it possible for everyone to access reliable and affordable same-day deliveries. We will be making history!”
Michigan’s interest in cutting-edge cargo drone and other aerial service providers like MightyFly is neither new nor surprising. State officials have made it clear they believe in the future of battery-powered, sustainable air transport to take over from increasingly clogged road methods. Last year Michigan partnered with Canadian province Ontario to launch a feasibility study on a planned cross-border UAV corridor between the two neighbors.
Read more: Michigan, Ontario partner in cross-border drone delivery study
Charlie Tyson, the OFME’s technology activation manager, said Michigan hosting MightyFly’s cargo drone demonstrations is another example of the state’s embrace of UAVs as part of its transportation future.
“We know the future of mobility is more than just (ground) vehicles – it is on air, land, and sea,” said Tyson. “Michigan is uniquely positioned to support testing, development, and deployment of new technologies that will lead to more affordable, accessible transportation solutions, and we are excited to support MightyFly through the MMFP program and their continued efforts to grow in Michigan.”
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