Large uncrewed cargo aircraft soon could be plying drone corridors over the southwest UK under an agreement between U.S. startup Pyka and operator Skyports Drone Services. The deal is part of a trend to accelerate the deployment of larger drones by beginning in regions where regulators have more flexibility to approve operations. Pyka is one of a growing number of startups developing uncrewed cargo aircraft with substantially larger payloads and longer ranges than the small drones now being used to deliver medicines and other supplies. Skyports is a launch customer for Pyka's Pelican Cargo, an autonomous electric aircraft with a 400-lb. payload and range up to 200 mi. The l,320-lb.-gross-weight Cargo, which features a 38-ft. wingspan, made its first flight on Dec. 22 at Merced, California. The aircraft is a derivative of the Pelican Spray, an autonomous aerial-application electric aircraft that is spraying crops in Brazil, Costa Rica and Honduras.
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