PteroDynamics, an aircraft design and manufacturing company that develops innovative vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, is announcing it has secured a contract with Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) to deliver 3 VTOL prototypes for the Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) program.

In 2018, Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identified a need for the United States Navy to develop a capability to autonomously deliver cargo with an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to and from ships at sea. Their analysis found that 90% of critical repair cargo delivered at sea by helicopters and V-22 aircraft weighed less than 50 pounds. A VTOL UAS can fill this critical need and free the manned aircraft to perform other higher priority missions.

"We are honoured to be selected for this important project," said Matthew Graczyk, PteroDynamics' CEO. "This contract is the start of an important partnership, and we look forward to delivering the prototypes to NAWCAD."

"This is an exciting milestone for our distinctive VTOL aircraft," added Val Petrov, PhD, PteroDynamics' founder and CTO. "Our design is well suited for operations on ships where windy conditions and tight spaces challenge other VTOL aircraft during takeoffs and landings."

"Using unmanned, autonomous aircraft for delivery of these critical payloads is an important capability for the Navy to have," said Blue Water's project lead, Bill Macchione. "The innovative design of PteroDynamics offers significant potential for both military and civilian missions."