Traverse Aero develops the Orca, the world’s first autonomous hybrid eVTOL cargo drone built for palletized freight. 7 m³ payload volume.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Transporting palletized freight over long distances often requires multiple handling steps, ground vehicle constraints, and dedicated crew, leading to high costs and limited speed for time‑critical deliveries. Existing drone solutions lack the payload capacity, range, and certification needed for practical cargo operations.
Solution
Traverse Aero’s Orca is a fully autonomous hybrid‑electric vertical‑take‑off and landing (eVTOL) cargo drone designed specifically for palletized freight. The platform can lift up to 550 lb (250 kg) and provides a 1.7 m³ payload volume, enabling a standard pallet to be moved without repackaging. Powered by sustainable aviation fuel, JP‑8, or AvGas, the Orca achieves a range of 600 mi (1,000 km) at 150 mph (225 km/h), offering rapid point‑to‑point delivery across regional distances. Its 100 % autonomous flight system handles take‑off, navigation, and landing, reducing crew requirements and operational complexity. The drone is positioned for both military logistics and commercial advanced‑air‑mobility operators, with early contracts including a 40‑drone fleet for UrbanLink Air Mobility and a U.S. Air Force Phase I contract.
Target Audience
Primary customers are military logistics units and commercial advanced‑air‑mobility operators that require autonomous, high‑capacity cargo transport for palletized goods.
Features
- Hybrid propulsion supporting SAF, JP‑8, or AvGas for flexible fuel sourcing and extended endurance
- Autonomous flight stack with integrated VTOL capability for operations from confined sites
- Payload bay sized for standard pallets (1.7 m³, 550 lb) eliminating the need for cargo repackaging
- Cruise speed of 150 mph (225 km/h) and 600‑mile (1,000 km) range for rapid regional transport
- Built‑in safety systems and redundant controls to meet military and commercial certification standards
- Scalable fleet architecture demonstrated by a 40‑drone partnership with UrbanLink Air Mobility