Dronamics has launched Black Swan, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that runs on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and is designed for freight.
The first launch was livestreamed on December 7, 2021, and demonstrated that the UAV can operate from runways that are unpaved and 400m in length. The aircraft can also carry up to 350kg of cargo for up to 2,500km at up to 80% lower cost than other aircraft. Dronamics plans to roll out a global network of droneports to enable Black Swan to provide the missing ‘middle mile’ in air freight. The UAV is designed to serve customers in the smallest and most remote communities and promote fast, affordable airfreight across the world.
Svilen Rangelov, co-founder and CEO of Dronamics, said, “The unveiling of the Black Swan represents a critical milestone in the company’s mission to enable same-day shipping for everyone, everywhere. The years of hard work are paying off and as soon as we’re done with our extensive test program and obtain certification in 2022, we are going to begin commercial operations, serving customers in Europe and beyond years ahead of everyone else.”
Konstantin Rangelov, co-founder and CTO of Dronamics, said, “For more than 100 years people have designed airplanes for humans first, meaning they were never really optimized for cargo, and in fact, they’re quite inefficient. By being extremely focused solely on carrying cargo, we were able to develop an aircraft that is able to do the job at up to 80% lower cost than any other airplane, meaning we can bring the benefits of aviation to billions of people around the world who do not get regular air service.”
