FedEx teams up with Elroy Air for pilotless drone cargo deliveries

latest initiative from fedex

FedEx express has teamed up with California Bay area-based Elroy Air to test Elroy Air’s Chaparral autonomous drone cargo system to ship packages and move shipments between sortation locations without a pilot. The latest initiative from FedEx explores and adopts new technologies across and for its networks.

The Chaparral, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo platform, can carry 300-500lbs of cargo over a 300-mile range through its hybrid-electric powertrain and simple, redundant lift and forward-flight motors. This means the vehicle can land, deposit cargo, pick up another load, and take off again, all in just a few minutes and without operator interaction.

The Chaparral’s design allows it to carry cargo in lightweight, aerodynamic pods which are pre-loaded by ground personnel and picked up autonomously by the aircraft before takeoff. According to Elroy Air, the Chaparral is the flying part of an integrated, high-throughput autonomous aerial logistics system and can be remotely piloted to comply with civil aviation authorities and airspace integration policy.

Images courtesy of Elroy Air

exponential growth of e-commerce

FedEx says that the exponential growth of e-commerce has accelerated the demand for reliable, efficient transportation and logistics solutions throughout the stages of the supply chain. The company believes that the consistent pursuit of innovation and automation equates to improving safety, efficiency, and productivity for the company’s 600,000 team members whose philosophy keeps their eyes on moving the world forward through logistics and services.

‘FedEx was built on innovation and we are always looking toward new technologies to help enhance the logistics industry through improved safety, efficiency, and customer service,’ said Joe Stephens, Senior Vice President, Global Planning, Engineering, and Technology, FedEx Express. ‘we look forward to continued testing and learning throughout our collaboration with Elroy Air.’

The Chaparral

autonomous aircraft

Elroy Air announced its signature Chaparral autonomous aircraft in January 2022. It is also capable of longer-range flights without the need for additional infrastructures, such as airports or charging stations. FedEx and Elroy Air have been working together since January 2020 and will continue their collaboration to pursue certifications and begin flight testing in 2023.

‘We are proud to work with FedEx to build the next generation of express logistics,’ said Kofi Asante, Elroy Air’s VP of Business Development and Strategy. ‘when you’re not limited by challenging infrastructure, traffic, or airports, logistics can reach more people, faster than ever before. We look forward to working together to create a new future for how we get goods to people around the world.’

Close-up view of the Chaparral