Cargo drone maker Elroy Air wins helicopter industry giant Bristow as client

San Francisco-based Elroy Air says it expects to deliver 100 autonomous cargo drones to Bristow, a leading provider of helicopter transportation to oil and gas customers, search and rescue (SAR), and aircraft support solutions to government and civil organizations.

This major client win for Elroy Air comes weeks after FedEx announced it would use the startup’s drones to explore autonomous solutions within middle-mile delivery operations. The drone maker, meanwhile, has secured agreements to supply 900 aircraft to commercial, defense, and humanitarian customers to date.

Elroy Air says its Chaparral vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) cargo drone would be the first of its kind to be introduced into Bristow’s aircraft fleet. Currently, Bristow is using drones to expand its SAR services in the United Kingdom.

Bristow’s plans for the Chaparral cargo drone include logistics, healthcare, and energy applications. Additionally, Elroy Air’s hybrid uncrewed…