Skyports adds Pyka heavy payload delivery drones to its fleet

The drone services division of UK delivery and vertiport company Skyports has announced it will be integrating the heavy payload electric vertical takeoff and landing UAVs by manufacturer Pyka into its fleet, thereby considerably expanding the goods its craft can haul in a single flight.

Skyports announced the agreement on Monday, saying its Skyports Drone Services unit would begin using Oakland, California-based Pyka’s Pelican Cargo drone, whose 175-plus kilogram payload capacity and 1.85 x 3-meter freight volume will offer increased delivery capabilities. The company currently relies on a fleet of smaller UAVs for its transport work, including Australian partner Swoop Aero’s Kookaburra.

The linkup, said Skyports, will provide what it called Pyka’s best-in-class heavy payload UAVs, allowing it to dramatically increase the volume of products transported for drone delivery clients ­– and better adapt the selection of craft deployed in function of mission…