Elroy Air Chaparral C1: an autonomous hybrid VTOL for delivery

Combining an autonomous drone and a cargo airplane, the Chaparral C1 is Elroy Air’s original creation for freight transport or humanitarian missions.

Autonomous flying vehicles today are somewhere between traditional small drones and flying taxis that accommodate a handful of passengers. Between these two, many solutions are still to be developed, as demonstrated by an American company, Elroy Air.

Elroy Air targets 230 kg of cargo over 500 kilometers

The young Californian startup has developed a VTOL called “Chaparral C1,” a small vertical takeoff and landing aircraft operating autonomously. No pilot onboard, the craft is exclusively used for transporting goods or equipment.

The autonomous cargo plane uses a hybrid electric-kerosene propulsion system with 4 propellers. The Chaparral can fly approximately 300 miles, or 482 kilometers, without detailing its operation mode. We understand only that it takes off vertically in electric mode, then flies on kerosene, and can recharge its batteries in flight.

To load the Elroy Chaparral, simply fill the large cargo space, a sort of big half-shell. This fits underneath the VTOL, which can then unload, load, and take off “in a few minutes.” Its payload capacity remains somewhat uncertain, estimated between 300 and 500 pounds, or approximately 136 to 227 kg of cargo.

Another key feature is that it can fit into a standard container or a cargo aircraft like a C-130 once the wings are removed.

Commercial, military, and humanitarian uses

For the U.S. military, this solution offers rapid delivery and greater safety compared to traditional helicopters. The project was even funded with $1.7 million (around €1.5 million) at the end of 2021.

However, the primary focus is on commercial applications. The most active company is Mesa Airlines, a partner of United Airlines, DHL, and others, which has ordered 150 Chaparrals. Highly involved in alternative solutions, it has also invested in the Swedish company Heart Aerospace, ordering 100 regional electric aircraft for 19 passengers, as well as in Archer Aviation’s eVTOL.

Another partner, Ayr Logistics, also plans to deploy around a hundred Chaparrals for humanitarian operations. “Moving towards autonomous cargo aircraft brings a significant difference in our structural costs and operational risks,” says CEO Stephens Lyons, “we do not have the luxury of a runway or personnel in some locations.”

Overall, Elroy Air reports having received more than 500 orders for its Chaparral C1. This could mean a revenue of over one billion dollars, or nearly 900 million euros.

Since the pre-production version in January 2022, Elroy Air has not announced a start date for production of its Chaparral C1. Will it be a reality in 2023?

Also read: Jetson One: an affordable small electric VTOL