EmbraerX, Elroy Air to collaborate on unmanned air cargo

EmbraerX is expanding into the commercial air cargo market via a collaboration agreement with Elroy Air announced at CES 2020. The collaboration aims to leverage Embraer’s 50 years of industry experience with Elroy Air’s developments in autonomous aircraft systems.

“We believe the cargo market is prime for an autonomous aircraft,” said Antonio Campello, president & CEO, EmbraerX. “Booming eCommerce is forcing the cargo market to grow and seek new solutions, creating a distinct need for more flexibility.”

Embraer X will work with Elroy Air and its Chaparral system, capable of delivering 250 lb to 500 lb of cargo over distances up to 300 miles, as well as work in associated services and air traffic management solutions.

“Elroy Air aims to open a new chapter for the logistics market with point-to-point autonomous aerial cargo systems,” said Dave Merrill, CEO of Elroy Air. “Elroy Air’s vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) cargo delivery aircraft, the Chaparral, will operate without airports or charging stations, and is optimized for freight with automated cargo loading and unloading. Our collaboration with EmbraerX will accelerate our path to deployment in commercial freight markets.”

Beyond cargo, EmbraerX is engaged in several projects, including the development of an Urban Air Mobility focused eVTOL, a tailored Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) system, and a fleet-agnostic business platform, designated Beacon, to streamline services.

Elroy Air, founded in 2016, has attracted a diverse team with industry experience from Uber, Northrop Grumman, Scaled Composites, Skyryse, and Airbus as well as academic backgrounds that include Embry-Riddle, MIT, Georgia Tech, and Stanford.