Pyka has recently introduced the Pelican, an autonomous electric cargo aircraft that boasts a remarkable 200-mile range and a cargo capacity of 400 pounds.
Pyka proudly claims that this innovative aircraft holds the distinction of being the largest cargo plane with zero emissions worldwide.
“We designed this plane to eliminate C02 emissions from the logistics chain, while offering a significant speed advantage over ground transportation and operating costs at a fraction of conventional air transportation,” said Pyka CEO Michael Norcia.
The Pelican, with its 38-foot wingspan, shares a similar size to that of a small private aircraft. However, it distinguishes itself by lacking a traditional cockpit. Instead, ground controllers program its routes and oversee its flight remotely, ready to intervene if any issues arise.
For takeoff, the Pelican requires a 200-yard runway, which doesn’t necessarily have to be paved, as it can utilize dirt or grass airstrips. During flight, the electric cargo plane maintains a cruising speed of 70-90 mph.
Charging the battery from 10% to full capacity takes approximately 1-3 hours, depending on the charging infrastructure available.
To ensure reliability, the Pelican incorporates redundant systems, meaning backups are in place to take over in case of failure.
Pyka estimates that the per hour maintenance cost for the Pelican is just $14.50, though the overall operating cost would also include expenses for electricity and the salaries of remote operators.
