Alongside providing urban passenger services, the development of unmanned cargo transport solutions is a significant market niche within the wider eVTOL domain. During a period characterized by both high demand for e-commerce and labor shortages across the transportation domain, eVTOL drones offer dedicated cargo operators and other commercial clients an enticing solution via which they can expand their routes and alleviate logistical and manpower bottlenecks.
California-based startup MightyFly is a representative case of an eVTOL provider seeking to operate within this market niche. The cornerstone of MightyFly’s evolving prototype line is the MF100 Cento platform. The Cento took its first flight and attained a Special Airworthiness Certificate in December 2022, with MightyFly refining its core design over the subsequent years of development. Over the first half of 2024, MightyFly both unveiled the latest version of the platform and attained approval to begin beyond line of sight flight testing with the model from the U.S Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Cento is powered by eight hybrid-electric VTOL propeller and one larger push propeller. The carbon fiber fuselage can be opened from the rear to host cargo, with the aircraft featuring a reported takeoff weight of 249 kilograms (550 lb) and a cruising speed of 240 km/h (150mph). MightyFly hopes to begin serial-production as early as 2024-2025.
