See inside a new pilotless cargo plane, which has a nose-loading door like the Boeing 747 and can fly up to 200 miles

Taylor RainsFeb 5, 2023, 18:56 IST

Pyka

Autonomous electric planemaker Pyka has developed the world's largest zero-emission freighter.
The aircraft, known as Pelican Cargo, is pilotless and can carry up to 400 pounds across 200 miles.

Another pilotless cargo plane is planning to enter the market.

Pyka

On Monday, autonomous electric planemaker Pyka announced Pelican Cargo, which the company says is the world's largest zero-emission freighter.

Pyka

The aircraft is based off the company's successful agricultural plane, called Pelican Spray, which was built for low-impact crop dusting.

Pyka

Company founder and CEO Michael Norcia told Insider about 90% of Pelican Cargo, including the wings, tail, and battery, was taking from Pelican Spray.

Pyka

The resulting product is the "first autonomous vehicle of its class," meaning, like its predecessor, it is controlled remotely.

A Pyka Pelican Cargo operator controlling the aircraft.Pyka

Norcia said computers will operate the aircraft, and the human involved could be anywhere in the world thanks to SATCOM internet connectivity installed onboard.

Pyka

He further explained there are several redundancies, like a backup computer. However, if anything goes wrong, the operator can intervene: "We're working on parachute systems so the operator has a fairly simple way to terminate the flight."

Pyka Pelican Cargo.Pyka

He further explained there are several redundancies, like a backup computer. However, if anything goes wrong, the operator can intervene: "We're working on parachute systems so the operator has a fairly simple way to terminate the flight."

Because the plane is electric, it does not need fuel but instead runs on a rechargeable battery located in the belly of the aircraft. It can also be swapped if there is not a recharge station available.

Pyka

Because the plane is electric, it does not need fuel but instead runs on a rechargeable battery located in the belly of the aircraft. It can also be swapped if there is not a recharge station available.

The charge can power the plane up to 200 miles. Norcia says inter-island operations is the best place for Pelican Cargo to start but hopes to branch out into remote places like Canada later.

Pyka Pelican Cargo.Pyka

The charge can power the plane up to 200 miles. Norcia says inter-island operations is the best place for Pelican Cargo to start but hopes to branch out into remote places like Canada later.

"We want to deliver cargo between two areas that have relatively poor infrastructure," Norcia said. "And, we're looking for a way to do that affordably so they can run daily deliveries between places that historically only get service maybe once a week."

Pyka

"We want to deliver cargo between two areas that have relatively poor infrastructure," Norcia said. "And, we're looking for a way to do that affordably so they can run daily deliveries between places that historically only get service maybe once a week."

Pyka's aircraft will be leased, and they cost around $15 per hour to operate, which is much lower than the $500-$1,000 per hour figures other small cargo aircraft can cost, according to Norcia.

Pyka

Pyka's aircraft will be leased, and they cost around $15 per hour to operate, which is much lower than the $500-$1,000 per hour figures other small cargo aircraft can cost, according to Norcia.

In total, customers will have a 400-pound payload and 66 cubic feet of cargo space to work with, and the packages will be loaded through a nose-door, similar to the Boeing 747.

Pyka

In total, customers will have a 400-pound payload and 66 cubic feet of cargo space to work with, and the packages will be loaded through a nose-door, similar to the Boeing 747.

In fact, Pelican Cargo will be one of the few aircraft in existence with a nose-loading door, joining the ranks of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan…

Russian Defense Ministry/TASS/Getty

…the Airbus Beluga and Beluga XL jets…

Airbus' Beluga delivering a satellite.Airbus

…and the military's C-5 Galaxy. On these planes, operators like the nose door for loading oversized items without having to first disassemble them, like helicopters.

People in line to enter the 445th Airlift Wing's first C-5A Galaxy in 2005US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Charlie Miller

…and the military's C-5 Galaxy. On these planes, operators like the nose door for loading oversized items without having to first disassemble them, like helicopters.

Granted, these aircraft are much larger than Pyka's, but the nose loader offers unique benefits to big and small aircraft alike.

Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 cargo loading.Thomas Frey/picture alliance via Getty Images

Norcia told Insider that when speaking with potential customers, many said they didn't want a plane that required a lot of ground equipment that could bump into the aircraft and damage it.

Pyka

Norcia told Insider that when speaking with potential customers, many said they didn't want a plane that required a lot of ground equipment that could bump into the aircraft and damage it.

"The nose door allows you to fully load this cargo sled prior to the aircraft arriving and then just simply wheel the sled over to the aircraft and slide it in through the nose door," he said.

Pyka

"The nose door allows you to fully load this cargo sled prior to the aircraft arriving and then just simply wheel the sled over to the aircraft and slide it in through the nose door," he said.

With a full load, Pelican Cargo only needs a 600-foot runway to take off and can land on pavement, grass, dirt, and gravel. This makes last-mile delivery accessible to more places.

Pyka

With a full load, Pelican Cargo only needs a 600-foot runway to take off and can land on pavement, grass, dirt, and gravel. This makes last-mile delivery accessible to more places.

Currently, the cargo plane is going through "rigorous" testing at Pyka's facility in Northern California, like filling it with sand to demonstrate its limits, Norcia told Insider.

A Pyka Pelican Cargo experiential plane taking off.Pyka

Currently, the cargo plane is going through "rigorous" testing at Pyka's facility in Northern California, like filling it with sand to demonstrate its limits, Norcia told Insider.

So far, the company has secured over 80 orders from three customers in North America and Europe, and it expects the first commercial flight to take place in the second half of 2023.

Pyka Pelican Cargo.Pyka

So far, the company has secured over 80 orders from three customers in North America and Europe, and it expects the first commercial flight to take place in the second half of 2023.

But, it's not the only pilotless cargo plane hoping to hit the market this year. Bulgarian manufacturer Dronamics has built its own freighter called Black Swan.

Dronamics

The aircraft is already certified in the European Union and plans to start operations as the world's first "cargo drone airline."

Dronamics

Meanwhile, California startup Natilus is building a fleet of autonomous cargo planes to address the pilot shortage and the environmental impact of freight transport.

Natilus

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See inside a new pilotless cargo plane, which has a nose-loading door like the Boeing 747 and can fly up to 200 miles

Another pilotless cargo plane is planning to enter the market.

On Monday, autonomous electric planemaker Pyka announced Pelican Cargo, which the company says is the world's largest zero-emission freighter.

The aircraft is based off the company's successful agricultural plane, called Pelican Spray, which was built for low-impact crop dusting.

Company founder and CEO Michael Norcia told Insider about 90% of Pelican Cargo, including the wings, tail, and battery, was taking from Pelican Spray.

The resulting product is the "first autonomous vehicle of its class," meaning, like its predecessor, it is controlled remotely.

Norcia said computers will operate the aircraft, and the human involved could be anywhere in the world thanks to SATCOM internet connectivity installed onboard.

He further explained there are several redundancies, like a backup computer. However, if anything goes wrong, the operator can intervene: "We're working on parachute systems so the operator has a fairly simple way to terminate the flight."

Because the plane is electric, it does not need fuel but instead runs on a rechargeable battery located in the belly of the aircraft. It can also be swapped if there is not a recharge station available.

The charge can power the plane up to 200 miles. Norcia says inter-island operations is the best place for Pelican Cargo to start but hopes to branch out into remote places like Canada later.

"We want to deliver cargo between two areas that have relatively poor infrastructure," Norcia said. "And, we're looking for a way to do that affordably so they can run daily deliveries between places that historically only get service maybe once a week."

Pyka's aircraft will be leased, and they cost around $15 per hour to operate, which is much lower than the $500-$1,000 per hour figures other small cargo aircraft can cost, according to Norcia.

In total, customers will have a 400-pound payload and 66 cubic feet of cargo space to work with, and the packages will be loaded through a nose-door, similar to the Boeing 747.

In fact, Pelican Cargo will be one of the few aircraft in existence with a nose-loading door, joining the ranks of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan…

…the Airbus Beluga and Beluga XL jets…

…and the military's C-5 Galaxy. On these planes, operators like the nose door for loading oversized items without having to first disassemble them, like helicopters.

Granted, these aircraft are much larger than Pyka's, but the nose loader offers unique benefits to big and small aircraft alike.

Norcia told Insider that when speaking with potential customers, many said they didn't want a plane that required a lot of ground equipment that could bump into the aircraft and damage it.

"The nose door allows you to fully load this cargo sled prior to the aircraft arriving and then just simply wheel the sled over to the aircraft and slide it in through the nose door," he said.

With a full load, Pelican Cargo only needs a 600-foot runway to take off and can land on pavement, grass, dirt, and gravel. This makes last-mile delivery accessible to more places.

Currently, the cargo plane is going through "rigorous" testing at Pyka's facility in Northern California, like filling it with sand to demonstrate its limits, Norcia told Insider.

So far, the company has secured over 80 orders from three customers in North America and Europe, and it expects the first commercial flight to take place in the second half of 2023.

But, it's not the only pilotless cargo plane hoping to hit the market this year. Bulgarian manufacturer Dronamics has built its own freighter called Black Swan.

The aircraft is already certified in the European Union and plans to start operations as the world's first "cargo drone airline."

Meanwhile, California startup Natilus is building a fleet of autonomous cargo planes to address the pilot shortage and the environmental impact of freight transport.