Photo above – ©2024 Pyka, Inc., ©2024 Sierra Nevada Company, LLC)
Pyka and SNC have partnered to offer Pyka’s large-scale all-electric cargo uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to customers within the U.S. Department of Defense. The dynamic partnership combines SNC’s expertise in customizing solutions for the world’s most complex challenges and Pyka’s revolutionary autonomous electric cargo aircraft, Pelican Cargo.
Together, Pyka and SNC have introduced RUMRUNNER— a modified edition of Pelican Cargo, the world’s largest 100% electric cargo UAS for sustainment in contested operations. Featuring high-thrust super-short takeoff and landing (SSTOL) capability, a payload capacity of up to 400 pounds, and range of up to 200 miles, RUMRUNNER is a game-changer for military sustainment operations, enabling dynamic logistics and operational energy support from points of distribution to points of need.
“Pyka’s Pelican Cargo is unlike any other UAS solution on the market for contested logistics,” said Michael Bertman, vice president of programs at SNC. “We assessed a number of leading capabilities and concluded that the Pelican Cargo is significantly more capable than any other platform. It is the only all-electric, austere environment cargo aircraft with that kind of range, payload capacity, and cargo volume. While the clean energy aspect is important, creating a more diverse, distributed, and survivable supply chain is expected to be the primary driver in terms of interest from the DoD. The Zero-Fuel component minimizes the need to forward-stage bulk fuel, which significantly reduces the logistics tail normally associated with resupply operations. This presents opportunities to increase the survivability of our service members, reduce risks to the force, and transform the way military operations have historically been conducted.”
“We are excited to partner with SNC to bring our autonomous electric cargo UAS platform to DoD customers,” said Michael Norcia, co-founder and chief executive officer at Pyka. “SNC has extensive experience modifying products from the Silicon Valley technology ecosystem to fit DoD requirements, and they are committed to making cutting-edge technology like Pelican Cargo available to the United States government.”
