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Elroy Air Conducts Groundbreaking Flight of Hybrid-Electric Cargo Drone

The company calls the aircraft a turbogenerator-hyrbid electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft—hVTOL, for short—and claims it’s the first of its kind to fly.

Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 02:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By: Luke Venable

Elroy Air’s hVTOL Chaparral C1 takes flight from Byron Airport (C83) near San Francisco. [Courtesy: Elroy Air]

Key Takeaways:

Elroy Air successfully conducted the maiden flight of its Chaparral C1, claimed to be the world's first turbogenerator-hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (hVTOL) aircraft.
The Chaparral C1 utilizes a turbogenerator-battery architecture, which provides extended range and operational flexibility compared to all-electric systems by allowing fueling without specialized charging infrastructure.
Designed as a large autonomous cargo drone, the Chaparral can carry 300 pounds over 300 miles, targeting both commercial logistics (e.g., FedEx) and military resupply missions.
Elroy Air holds a significant order backlog exceeding $3 billion for over 1,000 Chaparral aircraft, with initial deliveries expected to commence in 2025.

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Look up in the sky: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a turbogenerator-hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft—and it’s the first in the world to fly, according to manufacturer Elroy Air.

The aircraft type is a mouthful, so we’ll use Elroy’s abbreviation: hVTOL. The San Francisco Bay Area-based firm, best known for manufacturing the autonomous Chaparral cargo drone, on Sunday took the hVTOL on its maiden voyage, claiming it is the first aircraft of its kind to leave the ground.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.