US’s Mesa Airlines to invest in autonomous VTOL fleet

Answering the demand for express parcel delivery in US rural communities, Mesa Airlines (YV, Phoenix Sky Harbor) has announced its intent to order 150 autonomous hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Chaparral aircraft being developed by San Francisco-based Elroy Air.

The announcement makes it Elroy Air’s first partner in the commercial air cargo market, with the aircraft slated to debut with Mesa Airlines in 2023.

The regional carrier currently operates a mixed fleet of 150 aircraft as American Eagle, United Express, and DHL Express under capacity purchase agreements with American Airlines, United Airlines, and DHL. It provides scheduled commercial passenger services throughout the US as well as to Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and The Bahamas operating out of bases in Phoenix Sky Harbor, Arizona; Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston Intc’l, Texas; Washington Dulles, Virginia; and Louisville Int’l, Kentucky.

Commented Mesa Airlines Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Ornstein: “I think one of the reasons why this is a moment to deploy the Chaparral system is that the market really requires it. We’re not even creating a market. We are answering a demand that exists in the market today that is currently unanswered. We are increasingly seeing the demand for same and next-day delivery, but so many rural communities have been cut off from the national transportation system. Pilot shortages and environmental regulations make this even more challenging. With the Chaparral, we’re excited to be able to provide autonomous cargo delivery to help reconnect those communities,” he explained.

The agreement brings Elroy Air’s total conditional pre-orders for the Chaparral aircraft to more than 500 vehicles worth more than USD1 billion from customers in the commercial, defence, and humanitarian sectors, the company announced in a statement.

“The Chaparral is an important part of the future of express logistics. It is built for full end-to-end automation, and it will safely and efficiently make express shipping possible in thousands of new places. It’s a delivery drone that’s faster than ground transport and lower cost than today’s traditional aircraft,” said Elroy Air co-founder and Chief Executive Officer David Merrill.

Currently in the pre-production stage, the Chaparral will be able to autonomously pick up 136-226 kgs of cargo and deliver it by air up to 482 km, a capability that pushes beyond the limited payload capabilities of delivery drones and the airport infrastructure required of piloted air cargo options available today, the company said.

“The Chaparral is a transitioning “lift + cruise” VTOL aircraft with a full carbon composite airframe, and a turbine-based hybrid-electric powertrain for long-range mission capabilities. It was also designed to fit in a 40’ shipping container or C-130 cargo aircraft, enabling it to be quickly shipped and deployed anywhere in the world,” it explained.

An early prototype of the Chaparral was flown in 2019. An updated system unveiled on January 26 features eight vertical lift fans, four distributed electric propulsors for forward flight, a high-wing airframe configuration, as well as improved ground autonomy and cargo-handling systems.

“We have designed an aircraft that behaves like a hybrid between a rough-and-ready helicopter and a battle-hardened bush plane, that can pick up cargo anywhere with a 50 square foot landing area,” said Elroy Air co-founder and President, Clint Cope. “The Chaparral will be a vital logistics link for people around the world with unreliable roadways and in remote and rural areas that take longer to reach today.”

Mesa Airlines has already made an investment in electric aircraft company, Heart Aerospace, which plans to be the first to produce the world’s first electric 19-seater ES-19 aircraft. Mesa Airlines plans to add 100 ES-19s to its regional fleet.