European manufacturing company Dronamics will soon debut the Black Swan, a pilotless drone certified to carry freight in the European Union starting in 2023. The concept is the brainchild of Bulgarian brothers Konstantin and Svilen Rangelov. Speaking with Insider, the latter said the pair started looking into the market in 2013 when Amazon began dabbling in drone deliveries. The two began researching the business in 2013 when Amazon started experimenting with drone delivery, according to multiple media reports quoting the brothers.
The brothers thought there was a better way to deliver courier packages to each client, but they were discouraged by the logistical challenges involved in using small drones like Amazon’s to carry goods directly to houses. With the support of approximately 3,000 airstrips located around Europe, the final product, which has about half the capacity of a U-Haul moving van, may provide consumers with quick and inexpensive cargo shipment, allowing for same-day delivery, as per the ‘drone airline’ company.
Many of the airstrips are closer to consumers than the primary distribution centers, making them even more practical for same-day delivery, feels Rangelov. Additionally, the design sets Dronamics apart from other cargo drone operators that frequently carry smaller loads for shorter distances. The company claims that Dronamics’s shipment drone may reduce prices by up to 50% when compared to rival cargo planes, in part because of its carbon fiber structure, making it attractive for the “middle-mile market.” The Black Swan can go 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) in one flight, cruise at 20,000 feet, and carry up to 350 kilos (770 pounds). BRP-Rotax, an Austrian firm owned by Bombardier Recreational Products, constructed the single-propeller Rotax engine that powers the drone shuttle.
Rangelov claims the plane will be able to penetrate the low-density e-commerce industry since it will be able to carry individual shipments in addition to single pallets of one item.
The airplane, which will be made in large quantities in Germany and Australia, is powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel.
Source: Interesting Engineering