Lоndon and Sofia – 25 May 2023 – Dronamics, the world's first cargo drone airline, announced today the successful completion of the first flight of its flagship aircraft, the Black Swan, at Balchik airport in Bulgaria; demonstrating the potential for the logistics industry to enhance efficiency in the transportation of products.
Born out of two brothers’ desire to find a quicker, greener and more affordable way to deliver goods, Dronamics is on a mission to enable same day delivery for everyone, everywhere. This significant milestone is the culmination of months of ground testing and subscale flights. The Black Swan aircraft was remotely piloted by two commercial airline pilots from the Dronamics ground control station.
The successful flight test validates the company's licensed cargo drone technology for commercial flights in Europe, set to begin later this year, serving industries such as e-commerce, pharma, spare parts, and perishables with a fast and cost-effective solution to meet evolving consumer needs.
“Since the day we first imagined what the Black Swan aircraft could look like, we’ve worked towards this flight. Today we’ve made history and are proud to have demonstrated the validity of our drone technology”
Konstantin Rangelov, Co-Founder and CTO of Dronamics.
”It’s taken an enormous amount of hard work, belief and drive to prove that what we envisioned works. We can now focus on the next step, the roll-out of our commercial operations, and we couldn’t be more excited,”
Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder and CEO of Dronamics.
About Dronamics
Dronamics is the world’s first cargo drone airline. Аs a leading developer and operator of large, long-range drones built specifically for cargo, its flagship Black Swan is able to carry 350 kg (770 lb) at a distance of up to 2,500 km (1,550 mi) up to 80% faster, 50% cheaper and with up to 60% lower emissions than alternative modes of transport, including airfreight. This enables same-day shipping over very long distances for a variety of industries: from pharma to food, from e-commerce to spare parts. The company’s fast-growing team includes experienced aerospace and logistics experts. Dronamics is Europe’s first licensed cargo drone airline and IATA’s first Strategic Partner for drones worldwide.
Dronamics has raised a total of $40 million in pre-Series A funding from early-stage funds and angel investors from 12 countries and is co-funded by the European Union under the prestigious European Innovation Council, Europe’s flagship innovation program.
Notes to editors
RECENT MILESTONES
Dronamics became the first cargo drone airline to obtain operational license in Europe.
Signed two manufacturing agreements to produce the Black Swan at scale in Europe and Australia.
Joined the UK’s first medical drone distribution network.
Announced partnerships with Zero Petroleum and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions to adopt fossil-free alternatives to power the Black Swan’s engine.
Raised a total of $40 million in pre-Series A funding from early-stage funds and angel investors from 12 countries as the company approaches its upcoming Series A round.
Successfully completed the first test flight of its full-scale flagship cargo drone aircraft, the Black Swan.
THE BLACK SWAN OVERVIEW
Wingspan: Fixed wing 16m / 52ft
Fuselage: 8m / 26ft
Height: 4m / 13ft
Cargo capacity: 350kg / 770lbs
Volume: 3.5cbm / 125 cu ft (equivalent to the capacity of a minivan)
Diameter: 1.3m / 4.3ft
Range: 2,500 km / 1,550 miles (equivalent to New York City to Austin, All of Europe, All of the Caribbean, Hong Kong to Osaka, Dubai to New Delhi)
Speed: up to 200 km/h / 125 mph
Materials used: Carbon fiber predominantly