The market launch will take place at the Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW). The "e350 Flying Cargo Van" is an electric, fully autonomous VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) drone that can transport a pallet of up to 350kg at a speed of 220 km/h over 200km purely electrically or 600km with a hybrid hydrogen-electric system drive. According to the company, goods can be delivered over a distance of 100km in less than 30 minutes. What makes the e350 special is its ability to switch from flight mode to drive mode by retracting its wings, enabling efficient ground navigation for the last few miles and meters. The e350 lands vertically, drives autonomously to its destination and directly into warehouses or factories, where it performs automatic loading and unloading as well as recharging of its specialized cargo containers via a Charging and Loading Station (CLS) - all without human intervention.

Reduce turnaround times by up to 90 percent

The CLS infrastructure serves as a docking station and automates all processes after landing. It enables seamless integration into automated intralogistics systems and manual locations. The automated process, in which freight containers with empty batteries and goods are unloaded at one CLS and a new container with fully charged batteries and already loaded freight is loaded at another CLS, reduces the turnaround time by up to 90%, according to the provider. By autonomously navigating logistics sites and making last-mile deliveries in planned truck-free "cities of the future", the e350 is said to offer benefits that go far beyond conventional air freight solutions, which are limited to air transportation and rely on manual intervention for cargo handling, ground transportation and battery charging or refueling.

"Our flagship drone, the Grasshopper e350, works like a flying delivery truck and is the world's only cargo drone designed specifically for Industry 4.0 applications. By autonomously handling the first and last mile as well as all loading and charging operations, we offer a fully integrated solution that increases delivery speed by 100% compared to traditional trucks, achieves a 99% on-time delivery rate, generates zero emissions and automates the entire supply chain process for companies looking to modernize their supply chains," said Jakob Saalfrank, CEO of Grasshopper Air Mobility.