Commercial Heavy-Lift Drones for Cargo Transportation & Logistics

Submitted by tatwood on Thu, 10/26/2023 - 14:16

FlyingBasket’s FB3 is an all-electric multirotor platform that requires no disassembly and can be easily transported inside a van or trailer, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. The versatile UAS has been designed to be BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight)-ready, with a robust data link that transmits critical flight control data and telemetry at ranges of up to 10 km. The FB3 is currently equipped with either an in-house designed remote-controlled hook with cargo sling for payloads of up to 100 kilograms, or a cargo box that can carry payloads of up to 33 kilograms (measuring 81 centimeters in length, 35 centimeters in width, and 30 centimeters in height). Watch a video, here, and see details at Unmannedsystemstechnology.com. Throughout its development, the FB3 has been used to deliver equipment to wind turbines, transport construction materials to tall buildings, deliver packages to mountainous locations, and lift communication devices for Huawei. FlyingBasket features a flight termination system that is triggered when the drone enters a restricted red zone, allowing it to fly in urban areas. Real-time data is acquired through an ADS-B receiver, enabling the drone to mitigate close encounters with nearby aircraft. FlyingBasket has received approvals from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and IASA (International Aviation Safety Assessment) for the FB3. While the market for heavy-lift drones is still developing, FlyingBasket is already working on the FB4, expected to debut in 2024 with a payload capacity of 200 kilograms.

Our thanks to Thanks to CDR David Place (USN/Ret), davidplace47[at]gmail[dot]com, for his assistance with this report, which is a pre-release excerpt from the next edition of the UNMANNED SYSTEMS NEWS (USN). David Place distributes the USN, a free, comprehensive newsletter in PDF format every week or two, as well as serial news flashes. To be included in his distribution, simply send David a subscribe request to davidplace47[at]gmail[dot]com.