MightyFly awarded the Division of the Air Drive SBIR Section II contract and obtained funding from Draper Associates
Purposes for small drone supply of meals and retail items are creating world wide – however the alternative for cargo drones, autonomous eVTOL plane with bigger payload capability, could also be even better. At this time, MightyFly introduced new funding and an AFWERX SBIR Section II contract to develop the corporate’s Autonomous Load Mastering System (ALMS.) The ALMS will enable MightyFly’s autonomous hybrid eVTOL “to load, unload and ship cargo autonomously and to deal with essentially the most urgent expedited logistics challenges.”
The functions are virtually countless, with the potential to alleviate visitors and emissions whereas delivering vital efficiencies and price financial savings to any enterprise that requires point-to-point, same-day or expedited supply companies. Within the context of navy use, an autonomous system for delivering provides might be lifesaving. “The MightyFly answer is right for logistics, provide chain, manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail, automotive and oil and fuel industries, for Nationwide and State parks, humanitarian and catastrophe reduction organizations, and for protection and nondefense governmental companies,” says the corporate announcement.
Air Drive SBIR grants are designed to assist progressive applied sciences and convey new options to viability sooner. The assist not solely supplies monetary assets to small companies, it identifies market wants and highlights options that deal with particular issues the Air Drive is attempting to unravel.
“The MightyFly workforce is working to revolutionize expedited logistics by way of massive, autonomous, hybrid eVTOL cargo plane. To be chosen by AFWERX for this SBIR Section II contract signifies a vote of confidence in our mission and technical experience. We’re honored to companion with the U.S. Air Drive and to leverage our know-how to develop a system that instantly addresses agile and expedited logistics wants and supply a significant characteristic that’s wanted for the profitable integration of autonomous plane inside logistics,” mentioned Manal Habib, CEO of MightyFly.
MightyFly obtained extra funding from Draper Associates in September. That funding will assist MightyFly advance the event of its autonomous cargo plane, boosting the corporate’s go-to-market efforts.
“We backed MightyFly due to their unimaginable workforce. Should you completely want one thing delivered proper now, MightyFly can ship it. I believe MightyFly will save many lives, ship vital contracts, repair many automobiles and machines, and remedy many issues we haven’t even considered but. For brief haul, medium hundreds, this firm has your answer,” mentioned Tim Draper, Founding Accomplice of Draper Associates.
MightyFly is scheduled to finish the manufacturing of its third-generation MF100 plane later this yr, is scheduled to publicly debut its autonomous cargo plane performing supply flight demonstrations with 100 kilos of payload in Michigan in 2024, and is working with companions within the planning of Proof of Idea (POC) packages in late 2024 and all through 2025.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory setting for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the business drone house and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, E-mail Miriam.
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