American cargo airline Ameriflight has signed a letter of intent to purchase 35 autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by Sabrewing Aircraft, a company dedicated to the design of a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Under the agreement, the operator plans to incorporate units of the Rhaegal-A aircraft, also known as «Alpha», once the model receives type certification that will allow it to enter commercial service.
«The Sabrewing partnership and Rhaegal-A purchase will enable Ameriflight to enter into new business opportunities in distribution center logistics», the two companies said in a press release.
«In looking to the future, adding this advanced aircraft to our portfolio will complement our fleet and increase our assortment of assets, allowing us to expand our service areas through the development of warehouse distribution operations», said Alan Rusinowitz, President and COO of Ameriflight.
«We are committed to developing advanced, versatile, and efficient air cargo solutions with our best-in-class Rhaegal aircraft that maximize on long range, payload capacity, and sustainable fuel efficiency to successfully deliver on a range of cargo missions», explained Ed De Reyes, CEO of Sabrewing Aircraft.
This is Ameriflight’s second deal for autonomous aircraft. In January, the company made official its interest in acquiring the UAV Kona, a short-range aircraft with a payload capacity of 3.8 tonnes developed by Natilus.
The Rhaegal-A from Sabrewing Aircraft
Sabrewing’s Rhaegal-A aircraft completed its first stationary test flight in September 2022, while carrying a payload of 829 pounds. Currently, its manufacturer is in the process of starting the production line. If all goes according to plan, first deliveries could take place during the first quarter of 2024.
According to the developer, it can carry a payload of up to 2.455 kilograms with a range of up to 1.850 kilometres. In addition, it reaches a cruising speed of up to 370 kilometres per hour.
The aircraft offers a cargo space of 16 cubic metres. The maximum gross weight for vertical take-off and landing operations is 4.016 kilograms, while for conventional operations it is 6.257 kilograms.
See also: Eve to receive funding from the Brazilian State for the development of its eVTOL aircraft
