Vertical flight developer Piasecki Aircraft has acquired an uncrewed logistics aircraft from industrial conglomerate Kaman.
Piasecki completed the acquisition of the Kargo uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) programme from Kaman Aerospace on 29 April, expanding its existing portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems.
The quadrotor Kargo is a medium-lift autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle intended to provide aerial logistics support to defence and commercial customers.
Kaman initially pitched Kargo to the US Marine Corps (USMC) as an option for resupplying expeditionary forces on remote islands in the Indo-Pacific. The company subsequently completed demonstration contracts with both the USMC and US Army, including a 2023 flight test, but has yet to secure any large-scale orders for Kargo.
“This was a strategic decision to ensure that Kaman’s impressive UAV technology finds a home where it can thrive,” Ross Sealfon, chief executive of Kaman Corporation, says of the Kargo divestment.
Kaman was acquired by private equity firm Arcline Investment Management in 2024.
The financial terms of the Kargo deal were not disclosed. Piasecki will acquire all intellectual property and assets, and key personnel, associated with the Kargo programme, including two full-scale prototypes.
Piasecki is sounding bullish on prospects for the uncrewed quadrotor, projecting future demand for at least 300 aircraft.
Of particular interest is the Marine Corps Autonomous Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) programme, under which Kaman received a $12 million contract to support design and prototyping of Kargo.
That effort completed a performance evaluation in July 2024 that saw Kaman and a competing team from Leidos-Elroy Air each demonstrate prototypes. Requirements for the programme included transporting at least 136kg (300lb) for more than 50nm (92km) with fully autonomous take-off, landing and waypoint navigation.
The current Kargo design boasts a payload of 635kg, 100kt (185km/h) top speed and range of 1,110nm, with an operating ceiling of up to 10,000ft, according to Piasecki.
Chief executive John Piasecki describes Kargo as a “perfect fit” for his company’s strategy of developing a family of autonomous VTOL solutions targeting government and commercial markets.
“Kaman’s Kargo UAV programme has already achieved significant milestones,” Piasecki notes. “With our VTOL expertise, world-class Heliplex and deep industry partnerships, we are positioned to accelerate Kargo’s transition from prototype to production.”
In 2023, Piasecki launched its Heliplex rotorcraft production and modification centre in Coatesville, Pennsylvania after acquiring the site from Sikorsky. The industrial complex west of Philadelphia will be the new home for its Kargo research, development and test effort.
From Coatesville, Piasecki says it plans to assemble production-ready Kargo vehicles by late 2026. The company is seeking certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for commercial use, while simultaneously targeting military customers.
In addition to pursuing the USMC opportunity, Piasecki plans to display Kargo at the Army Aviation Association of America conference in Nashville, Tennessee in May.
Kargo completed an autonomous demonstration flight for the US Army in 2024, carrying a 227kg load.
At the 2024 Heli-Expo trade show, Kaman told FlightGlobal that pre-production Kargo prototypes were powered by single Rolls-Royce M300 turbine engines, with the aircraft featuring a composite shell and aluminium airframe.
See video of Kargo UAV in flight testing:
