The Pelican Cargo has a range of up to 200 miles, a maximum payload of 400 pounds in 66 cubic feet of cargo volume and a nose-loading configuration with a sliding cargo tray.
Oakland, California-headquartered Pyka says the Pelican Cargo will enhance express logistics networks, provide connectivity for remote rural communities and offer fast and reliable access to vital goods and supplies for areas in need.
Michael Norcia, Co-Founder and CEO of Pyka, says, “We designed this plane to eliminate C02 emissions from the logistics chain, while offering a significant speed advantage over ground transportation and operating costs at a fraction of conventional air transportation.”
Since launching its agricultural spray aircraft, Pyka has secured pre-commitments of over 80 orders and options for the Pelican Cargo from 3 launch customers across North America and Europe.
The aircraft is undergoing rigorous testing at Pyka’s flight test facility in northern California and the first commercial operation is expected for the second half of 2023.
Skyports Drone Services is one of the launch customers, Director, Alex Brown, says, “Welcoming the Pelican Cargo aircraft into our fleet will enable us to continue on our mission of solving complex logistical and operational challenges with tailored drone services. We know a thing or two about drones and in our eyes, the Pelican Cargo is the most advanced product in its payload class on the market. We're excited to kickstart operations with Pyka and put the Pelican through its paces.”