Piasecki Aircraft Corporation has acquired Kaman Air Vehicles’ KARGO UAV programme, bringing the medium-lift VTOL UAV under its control. Designed for autonomous cargo delivery in contested and remote areas, the KARGO UAV has been tested by both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army under military evaluation programmes. It is built with a compact footprint and modular payload system, and aims to provide affordable and reliable logistics for both defence and commercial use.

The system recently demonstrated autonomous lift capabilities for the U.S. Army and completed full flight testing using Near Earth Autonomy’s Peregrine system. It has also completed initial military contracts, and an initial $12 million award under the Marine Corps MARV-EL programme has led to the construction of two full-scale prototypes. Demand is projected to exceed 300 units.

All R&D and operational work will now be relocated to Piasecki’s Heliplex facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. CEO John Piasecki says: “This acquisition is a perfect fit for Piasecki’s long-term vision for a family of autonomous VTOL UAS solutions to address a diverse range of customer mission requirements in both government and commercial markets. Kaman’s KARGO UAV programme has already achieved significant milestones. With our VTOL expertise, world-class Heliplex and deep industry partnerships, we are positioned to accelerate KARGO’s transition from prototype to production.”

Kaman CEO Ross Sealfon adds: “This was a strategic decision to ensure that Kaman’s impressive UAV technology finds a home where it can thrive. Piasecki’s reputation for innovation and commercialisation in vertical flight solutions makes them the ideal company to take KARGO UAV to market.”