200-Mile Range, 400-Pound Payload, and 66 Cubic-Foot Interior Provide Effective Rural Courier

Pyka, unveiled the latest addition to its lineup of purpose-built industrial aircraft: the Pelican Cargo.

The aircraft is a first in the Pyka roster, boasting "unprecedented payload", and a range of up to 200 miles. With its nose-loaded cargo system and sliding cargo tray, the Pelican can haul 400 pounds in 66 cubic feet of volume with minimal ground infrastructure. The high wing and tricycle gear further enhance its small-airport qualifications, with 4 electric motors distributed fore and aft. The Pelican's high tail rounds out the design of a suitable rural support aircraft, able to enable connectivity in remote communities deprived of aviation infrastructure.

“Pelican Cargo will have a significant positive impact on people's lives,” said Pyka Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Michael Norcia. “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.” 

The release follows Pyka's commercial success in selling agricultural spray aircraft, which brought in $37 million via a Series A round in April 2022. Since then, Pyka has secured pre-commitments for over 80 orders and options for its Pelican Cargo from 3 launch customers across North America and Europe. The aircraft is currently undergoing flight testing at Pyka’s facility in Northern California. The first commercial operation of the new product is expected for the second half of 2023.

“We operate a carefully selected fleet of UAS platforms across our markets, each of which has been chosen due to its operational capabilities and unrivaled performance,” said Alex Brown, Director, Skyports Drone Services, launch customers for Pelican Cargo. “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.”

FMI: www.flypyka.com