California-based MightyFly has conducted a live test of its logistics unmanned aerial system for the US Air Force’s AFWERX innovation arm.
The event showcased the combined functions of the San Francisco firm’s proprietary Cento hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as well as its Autonomous Load Mastering System (ALMS), both designed for complex logistics flights.
It was held at the New Jerusalem Airport in California, where the technologies completed autonomous simulations, such as freight loading and unloading, onboard package handling, and balance management according to the US military’s benchmarks.
Additional trials involved the autonomous handling and transport of representative packages provided by other users from the defense, healthcare, retail, logistics, manufacturing, and disaster relief sectors.
The activity concluded with the ALMS-equipped Cento accomplishing necessary payload movements using its dedicated nose cone compartment, as well as cargo ejection and landing processes without human intervention.
According to MightyFly, the test aligns with the Trump administration’s goal of promoting and leveraging indigenous drones for “medical response, cargo transport, and rural access.”
“This policy presents a timely opportunity for MightyFly as the company positions itself as a national asset in next-generation logistics, offering high efficiency services, minimal infrastructure requirements and low operational costs for both commercial and defense applications,” the company wrote.
MightyFly’s Cento eVTOL
The Cento measures 13 feet (4 meters) long, has a wingspan of 17 feet (5 meters), and an empty weight of 180 kilograms (397 pounds).
Its latest version features a 72 ×18.5×9.5-inch (183×47×24-centimeter) cargo bay that can fit more than 200 small parcels or about 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of payload.
The aircraft is equipped with 9 electric motors, 8 VTOL fans, one push propeller, a battery, and an internal combustion engine.
During operations, the Cento can achieve a speed of up to 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour, an altitude of 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), and a range of 600 miles (966 kilometers).
