New Drone Technology to Disrupt Freight Market
A new technology aims at reducing global air freight costs at about half the price of piloted aircraft, and delivering freight faster than ships through the use of large autonomous drones. A US startup is now testing a new seaplane concept that could evolve into huge cargo drones that fly freight across the Pacific, touch down autonomously over water, and unload at ports around the world. The US Marines have been testing a similar concept, their K-Max helicopter, for cargo operations.We looked at Natilus in last year's "China To Debut World's Largest Amphibious Aircraft, Handy For Supplying Newly-Built Islands (plus Tim Draper does a cameo)" . Draper is an investor.
The company, Natilus, plans to build and sell a small drone by 2020 that can carry nearly 2 metric tons of cargo and operate between regional airports. Such drones could allow companies to open new air shipping routes between cities with low volumes of freight. According to the company’s website, the drones would be able to deliver freight X17 faster than a standard cargo ship.
They want to test the water-taxiing capabilities of the small prototype drone with a 9-meter wingspan in San Francisco Bay. Waterborne testing, done under the careful watch of the Federal Aviation Administration, sets the stage for flight tests in 2018....MORE
And speaking of China, Caixen had this story a couple weeks ago: "SF Express Sees One-Ton Deliveries by Drone in 2019".
Meanwhile SF's partner, Sichuan Tengdun Technology, has plans for some really big stuff by 2020:
REVEALED: Plans to build world's largest 45-tonne SUPER DRONE with 42-metre wingspan
