Pelican Cargo Is the Largest, Autonomous Electric Cargo Plane
From California-based aviation startup Pyka comes the world’s largest, autonomous electric cargo plane, Pelican Cargo. Capable of carrying a payload of 400 pounds in 60 cubic feet of cargo volume, the plane has a range of up to 200 miles and is powered by a 50kWh lithium-ion battery pack, four 25kW electric motors and triple redundant batteries. Its autonomy is guided by six processors, two computers, forward-facing LIDAR, downward-facing lasers, 3D aerial mapping and more. On the ground, a pilot can program the vehicle’s route which can then be edited using satellite link. The first commercial operation of the Pelican, which is the first vehicle of its kind, is slated to begin in the latter half of the year. Learn more about it at Interesting Engineering.
Image courtesy of Pyka
Via interestingengineering.com link opens in a new window
