MightyFly unveils its third-gen Centro eVTOL cargo delivery drone

Specialized cargo drone developer MightyFly has unveiled the third generation of its Centro hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing craft (eVTOL), equipped with additional features and performance enhancements the startup will demonstrate during events later this year.

MightyFly presented its third-generation cargo eVTOL Thursday during an exclusive rollout at its San Leandro, CA facilities for investors, government officials, potential clients, and selected sector stakeholders. The drone is designed to carry 100 lbs. of payload over maximum distances of six hundred miles. Using the company’s Autonomous Load Mastering System (ALMS), Centro affords operators the choice of single-shot operations, or numerous deliveries along a flight path – all without needing human intervention.

In presenting the new prototype eVTOL, MightyFly underlined added or improved features to the drone that enhance its performance. Those include “a bi-wing design to enable a large trim of the aircraft center of lift”; use of structural conductors to increase reliability, and composites to reduce empty weight and increase cargo capacity; and a canard as landing gear to lower Centro’s drag and drive efficiency.

The upgrade also allows for a wider range of payloads to be transported, and introduced a system to automatically determine the drone’s shifting center of gravity as freight is delivered or loaded on. 

Changes to the eVTOL’s payload bay permit cooler boxes for transporting donor transplant organs, blood bags, and other cold chain cargo for healthcare and other clients, said MightyFly. The alterations also accommodate larger containers than before. 

The improvements will be factored into MightyFly’s ongoing work with the US Air Force emerging tech development unit, AFWERX, in a $1.25 million project to develop the eVTOL’s automatic ALMS. The startup will present its capabilities in that military program in 2025. Awaiting that, it will fly the new generation cargo drone in demonstration flights this year, and undertake testing toward certification.

“We are very excited to show everyone the tremendous work and ingenuity performed by the MightyFly team throughout the last year, and to unveil the 2024 Cento that couples innovation with efficiency in design, maintenance, and operation, bringing to the world the key to transform the expedited logistics market,” said Manal Habib, MightyFly’s CEO, who pledged the craft will revolutionize transport activities in manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, and transform life in rural and remote areas. “All of us at MightyFly are extremely excited to be working at the forefront of a new era of automation and innovation.” 

MightyFly said it will publicly debut the autonomous cargo drone next autumn in Michigan, during demonstrations of the hybrid eVTOL’s point-to-point delivery capabilities.