Elroy Air raises further $9.2 Million for Chaparral cargo drone.

Former 3DR employees David Merril, Clint Cope and their team have secured further funds for what to me is the sensible route into large unconventional VTOLs.

The new Chaparral Seperate Lift Thrust (SLT) aims to lift 500lbs over a distance of 300 miles.

Elroy Air popped onto our radar in late 2017 with a website and images of a large prototype. Then barely a month later in January of 2018 news of an investment from Homebrew.

Further investment has come from Catapult Ventures, Precursor Ventures, Lemnos, Haystack, Shasta Ventures, Levitate Capital, 122West and Amplify Partners.

In the beginning the target was 150lbs for 300 miles.

I will await flight trials of the new platform with great interest. It looks to have great potential.

Quite like the vision.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life around the planet by expanding the reach of air cargo — safely, efficiently and autonomously. With the support of our investors and development partners, we will be launching first systems in 2020 with a small number of shippers in select locations around the world. As we continue to grow each delivery will be a step closer to a better, more connected future.

— The Elroy Air Team

Elroy Air