Bristow secures early delivery of Elroy mid-range Chaparral cargo drones as it diversifies activity

Global air services company Bristow Group is looking to diversify from its historic passenger transport activities by securing preferred delivery of medium-haul Elroy Air Chaparral drones to facilitate its expansion into cargo operation.

Bristow, which originated and grew providing helicopter transportation services, is evolving into other kinds of aerial operations, and will rely on Elroy to provide its hybrid, medium-range cargo drones to enable that effort. The Houston-based Bristow placed a deposit this week securing the delivery of five Chaparral UAVs when the first vintage of the craft are expected to become available in 2025.

Read: Elroy Air, Ayr Logistics ink drone humanitarian aid delivery deal

That deal nailing down a preferred spot among clients awaiting the vertical takeoff and landing drones was an outgrowth of an existing pre-order Bristow placed with Elroy for 100 of its cargo planes.

Bristow has said it plans to use the…