Boeing Cargo Air Vehicle

The Boeing Cargo Air Vehicle is an unmanned, autonomously flying, fully electric cargo air vehicle (CAV). It was made possible by an investment of Boeing HorizonX Ventures.[1]

Boeing Cargo Air Vehicle
Role Cargo eVTOL
National origin United States
Manufacturer Boeing NeXt
Status Under development

Development

At the beginning it was remote control-operated. Later it flew autonomously. The first flight tests have been in 2017. The CAV is for research of autonomy technology for aerospace vehicles in the future. In Boeing's Ridley Park wind tunnel flight tests have been finished. It was flying indoor in 2018 before outdoor flights in 2019. With the Boeing CAV there are new possibilities for the transport of time-sensitive and high-value goods and to conduct autonomous missions in remote or dangerous environments.[2][3] Its configuration evolved to six dual-rotor systems with 12 propellers and the first outdoor flights tests were done by May 2019, including forward flight transition.[4]

By September 2020, Boeing was to close its Boeing NeXt division, in response to financial losses in the wake of the 737 MAX groundings and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation.[5]

Design

The CAV was designed and built by 50 engineers in less than three months.[1][6]

Specifications

Data from Boeing[4] (also: cargo facts,[7] Electric VTOL News[8][9] and AINonline[10])

General characteristics

  • Crew: None (“The Cube” autopilot by ProfiCNC)
  • Capacity: up to 500 pounds (227 kg) payload
  • Length: 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
  • Wingspan: 20 ft 0 in (6.1 m)
  • Height: 5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
  • Empty weight: 600 lb (272 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,100 lb (499 kg)
  • Powerplant: 6 × Vertical Electric dual propeller
  • Maximum speed: 23 mph (37 km/h, 20 kn)
  • Range: 1.0 mi (1.6 km, 0.87 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 390 ft (120 m)

Similar types

See also

References
  1. Davies, Alex (January 14, 2018). "Boeing's Experimental Cargo Drone Is a Heavy Lifter". Wired. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  2. "Boeing Cargo Aerial Vehicle". Electric VTOL News. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  3. Woodrow Bellamy III (July 24, 2018). "Boeing Exploring Autonomy, LIDAR in Future Air Cargo Aircraft". aviationtoday. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  4. "Watch: Cargo Air Vehicle Completes First Outdoor Flight" (Press release). Boeing. May 2, 2019.
  5. Charles Alcock (September 17, 2020). "Boeing NeXt To Close, Raising Doubts over eVTOL Activities". AIN online.
  6. "Boeing Cargo Air Vehicle (CAV)". TRANSPORT UP. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  7. Charles Kauffman (October 3, 2019). "Boeing NeXt drone completes forward-flight milestone". cargofacts.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  8. "Boeing Cargo Air Vehicle". evtol.news. February 1, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  9. "Boeing Moves Forward With CAV". evtol.news. November 4, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  10. Chad Trautvetter (November 18, 2019). "Boeing Makes Progress on NeXt Big Things". ainonline.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
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