Top 12 Cargo Facts advanced air mobility stories of 2024

The air cargo industry is increasingly using uncrewed aircraft, drones and electric aircraft. While some industry stalwarts have been slow to welcome advanced air mobility to the fold, the sector’s growth has been rapid. Throughout 2024, new AAM technologies were unveiled, governments increasingly explored and supported AAM, and companies expanded drone delivery. Cargo Facts has selected twelve of our top AAM stories to provide a view of the growing AAM landscape in 2024. Read on for the year’s major AAM stories: 1. DroneUp to expand BVLOS ops with Part 135 approval Drone developer DroneUp received Part 135 approval from the FAA in November, making it the sixth U.S. drone operator to receive an air carrier certificate. The certification allows the Virginia Beach, Va.-based company to conduct drone delivery beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). 2. Alia CX300 eCTOL takes first test flight [caption id="attachment_57147827" align="alignright" width="380"] Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 is an electric conventional takeoff and landing aircraft. (Courtesy/Beta Technologies)[/caption] Beta Technologies completed the first test flight of its Alia CX300 electric conventional takeoff and landing aircraft (eCTOL) in November. The production-standard Alia CX300 (BT31C-0001) eCTOL prototype flew for about an hour before returning to Burlington, Vt. (BTV). Beta hopes to obtain certification for the Alia CX300 in 2025. 3. Advanced air mobility sees progress Progress toward advanced air mobility program certification must be measured incrementally, with each milestone contributing to FAA safety and compliance requirements, Cargo Facts EMEA 2024 speakers said at the February event in Amsterdam. AAM sector leaders shared the progress their companies have made in attaining certification and the steps that remain. 4. Phenix successfully tests heavy-lift Ultra 2XL drone Drone manufacturer Phenix Solutions completed testing in September of its Ultra 2XL, which can carry a payload of more than 600 pounds. The company tested the heavy-lift uncrewed aircraft system in Pendleton, Ore., at the Oregon UAS Accelerator and the Pendleton UAS Test Range. The drone completed more than 100 test flights successfully. 5. European Innovation Council banks on Dronamics [caption id="attachment_417117" align="alignright" width="380"] Dronamics' Black Swan. (Courtesy/Dronamics)[/caption] The European Innovation Council announced in March it would invest $10.8 million into Dronamics to aid the completion of the Black Swan test flight program and commercial drone operations. Dronamics plans to build droneports at airports in Greece in the northern region of Thessaloniki, along the outskirts of Athens and across the Greek Islands. 6. Amazon launches same-day delivery in Arizona with MK30 drone Amazon Prime Air launched its MK30 drone in November for same-day delivery, with plans to replace all existing Prime Air delivery drones in the United States with the MK30 by yearend. The MK30 has FAA approval to fly BVLOS thanks to its onboard detect-and-avoid system. Before the MK30, Prime Air’s drones could only operate in clear weather. The MK30 can operate in light rain. 7. Dufour Aero2 X2.3 completes 1st hover flight Dufour Aerospace initiated test flights of its hybrid-electric VTOL drone after completing the first hover flight of the aircraft in August. The Aero2 X2.3 is the fourth generation and production version of the company’s tilt-rotor drone that will soon be ready to enter service with eVTOL and drone operators. 8. FAA grants Zipline, Wing authorizations for UAS traffic management [caption id="attachment_56865352" align="alignright" width="380"] Zipline's P1 uses a parachute delivery system. (Photo/Zipline)[/caption] The FAA authorized Zipline and Wing to operate commercial drones BVLOS in shared Dallas-area airspace, marking the first such authorization from the FAA, in July. Zipline and Wing will rely on in-house uncrewed aircraft system traffic management systems to prevent collisions. Drone operators such as Zipline and Wing will manage drone airspace, which is below 400 feet in altitude and away from crewed aircraft, with FAA oversight. 9. AAM industry keen to bridge infrastructure gap for cargo ops Cargo Facts reported from the FAA Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Symposium 2024 in Baltimore in July that AAM industry leaders are calling for more support from the federal government to build infrastructure. As the industry seeks to support infrastructure on the ground, advancements in drone and AAM development continue to outpace the regulatory framework for operating these new types, event participants said. 10. New Pyka funding to support Pelican Cargo production [caption id="attachment_57147948" align="alignright" width="380"] The Pelican Cargo can carry up to 400 pounds. (Courtesy/Pyka)[/caption] Pyka announced in September receiving a $40 million series B investment, with which the Oakland, Calif.-based drone manufacturer intends to increase production of its electric heavy-lift Pelican Cargo drone. San Francisco-based Obvious Venture led the $40 million funding round for Pyka. The Pelican Cargo is a heavy-lift cargo drone capable of carrying 400 pounds for up to 200 miles. 11. UK tests airspace integration with Amazon, Everdrone and others The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority selected six pilot projects this summer to test drone use in deliveries, infrastructure inspections and emergency services to help safely integrate drones into airspace in the United Kingdom. The six trials, which involve BVLOS operations, aim to gather safety data. Projects include a consumer drone delivery trial with Amazon Prime Air; inspections over the North Sea with NATS, which provides air traffic control at fifteen U.K. airports and manages all U.K. upper airspace; and Project LifeLine for medical deliveries. 12. Flytrex uses RTK tech to increase drone delivery precision [caption id="attachment_57144560" align="alignright" width="380"] Flytrex drones can fly more closely together. (Courtesy/Flytrex)[/caption] Drone delivery company Flytrex became the latest company to integrate real-time kinematic (RTK) technology into its operations this year, allowing it to fly drones closer together and deliver to precise locations. Using non-line-of-sight RTK technology increases drone operation safety, allowing drones to fly within a few yards of each other. Register now for Cargo Facts' essential regional events for industry stakeholders: Cargo Facts LATAM 2025 on Feb. 10-11 at the Pullman Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport in Brazil; Cargo Facts Asia 2025 on March 24-26 at the W Shanghai in China; and Cargo Facts EMEA 2025 on May 6-8 at the Shangri-La Bosphorus in Turkey.

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