HoverCrane, a manufacturer of cargo drones used in construction, agriculture, forestry and search and rescue, has been awarded a contract with the US Air Force to provide its unmanned aerial vehicle for evaluation in expeditionary supply and other tactical missions.
The HoverCrane aerial cargo transport vehicle can move payloads from 10lb-50lb (4.5kg-22.6kg). It was developed for harsh industrial use cases with the capability to take-off and land in rough terrain.
It operates on open, modular systems architecture combined with advanced autonomous features.
Since launching in 2022, HoverCrane has been used in construction and utilities to deliver materials and tools to areas with limited access. Drones can be fitted with on-board cages, grapples and long-lines for various applications.
UAVs have also been used in search and rescue to locate people in distress and drop emergency equipment or supplies.
Ken Snoke, HoverCrane CEO, said: “Our HoverCrane team is so proud and excited to be working on this programme.
“An easily deployed autonomous aircraft for shuttling supplies has been at the forefront of our development efforts, and we can’t wait to see how this can positively impact our troops. What’s so exciting is that we have immediate usefulness in tactical resupply and rescue missions, and many future applications with continued innovation in AI and battery technology.
“A few of these drones can shuttle a lot of material over time with minimal support, all with dramatically reduced risk when compared to larger aircraft. It’s not hard to imagine how these can help our soldiers in combat and logistics. We are honoured to collaborate with the Air Force as we optimise the HoverCrane for mission success and saving lives.”
