Cranfield, UK-based startup Samad Aerospace has started the certification process for its unmanned Starling cargo-carrying drone, which will be capable of transporting large loads to remote location.
The remotely-piloted Starling has a cruising speed of 95mph (150km/h), a flight ceiling of 10,000ft and a range of up to 135 miles (220km). The all-electric drone will be able to transport payloads of up to 50kg (110 lbs) payload.
Seyed Mohseni, CEO of Samad Aerospace said, “Our Starling Cargo aircraft will change the future of transportation reducing emissions and carbon footprint of air cargo.”
Samad said that there has been interest expressed in its Starling Cargo aircraft from companies from several different industry sectors that need to transit high value cargo. These include oil and gas corporations, gemstone mining companies, medical logistics and emergency response companies.
The Starling has also been designed to be used for delivering humanitarian cargo of food, medicine and equipment to remote regions of the world with underdeveloped or damaged local infrastructure.
Samad plans to start accepting orders for the aircraft between October and December next year. It said the Starling will offer faster air cargo transport through its capability of using locations closer to the customer’s required point of departure and destination, including remote locations.
