Autonomous freight aircraft manufacturer Natilus has signed a deal with cargo carrier Ameriflight for 20 of its Kona feeder aircraft valued at US $134 million.
The agreement, Natilus said,"brings total commitments to US$6.8bn", with over 460 aircraft to be delivered.
“We are positioning Ameriflight to build the roadmap for the future in cargo operations and be the first regional operator for Natilus in the United States,” said Alan Rusinowitz, president and chief operating officer of Ameriflight.
Ameriflight transports freight between 200 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean and South America, with its "primary business" the moving of high priority cargo to and from remote areas for overnight express carriers.
“Innovation in design allows the Natilus fleet to carry more volume at lower costs, and the exploration of new sustainable fuels will lower carbon emissions,” said Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and chief executive of Natilus.
“Developing autonomous solutions that are purpose-built to address the needs of the air cargo market is one important step toward developing more robust long-term solutions,” continued Matyushev. “Autonomous technologies seek to utilise labour more efficiently by allowing a single pilot to control multiple aircraft, helping address the dire pilot shortage.”