SAN FRANCISCO - Elroy Air, a developer of autonomous aerial systems for middle-mile logistics and resupply in San Francisco, has announced the completion of its first point-to-point autonomous cargo delivery using its Chaparral vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
During the flight on 10 December 2025, the hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft autonomously transported a 213-pound payload over a distance of 2.6 miles in Byron, Calif. The aircraft took off vertically, reached a speed of about 60 mph, and landed vertically at a second site roughly half a mile away.
Chaparral is designed to carry payloads of up to 300 pounds over distances of up to 300 miles without a pilot on board. The aircraft uses a hybrid-electric powertrain intended to support high utilization and extended range without reliance on ground charging infrastructure, according to the company.
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"This delivery is the realization of the value of the Chaparral, an autonomous, hybrid-electric drone capable of delivering hundreds of pounds of cargo without the need for runways or infrastructure," said Andrew Clare, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Elroy Air. "As we move into 2026, having completed these critical milestones and now focused on scaling production with Kratos, Chaparral is ready to go to work to unlock unprecedented operational capacity for our commercial and defense customers."
Moving cargo
The delivery used the company’s Hatch Load Pod, a rear-access cargo module designed to simplify ground handling and speed loading and unloading. Elroy Air says Chaparral is designed as a modular platform that can support multiple payload configurations, including express cargo, heavier payloads, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensors, climate-controlled cargo, and air-drop systems.
"One of the remarkable outcomes of working closely with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Marine Corps and allied forces, as well as logistics companies such as FedEx and Bristow Group, is that we have been able to develop Chaparral as a modular platform capable of supporting a wide range of missions," said Dave Merrill, founder and executive chairman of Elroy Air.
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The milestone follows a year of expanded flight testing, including multiple flights of about 25 miles conducted in September. Elroy Air also recently named Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in Round Rock, Texas, as its exclusive U.S. manufacturing partner for Chaparral under a strategic agreement aimed at accelerating high-volume production.
Elroy Air is developing autonomous aircraft systems and software for commercial cargo transport, humanitarian aid, and military logistics, with a focus on operations that do not require conventional airport infrastructure.
