Slovenian aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel has announced the successful first hover flight of its Nuuva V300, a long-range, hybrid-electric VTOL unmanned cargo aircraft.
The Nuuva V300 is designed to carry up to 600 pounds over 300 nautical miles, offering a potential alternative to conventional middle-mile logistics.
Its hybrid propulsion system features a zero-emission vertical take-off system combined with a separate cruise propulsion unit. The aircraft can operate from unpaved surfaces and is capable of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight.
Developed in collaboration with Textron Systems, the V300 incorporates an automated flight control system and a triple-redundant fly-by-wire system from Honeywell. It is expected to be used for logistics, defence, and humanitarian missions.
Gabriel Massey, President and Managing Director of Pipistrel, told Zag Daily: “The Nuuva’s operational flexibility, cost-efficiency and environmentally friendly performance make it well-positioned to support a number of industries and missions, and we remain focused on making meaningful programme progress.”
Further testing will assess the aircraft’s full operational range and efficiency. Pipistrel is working towards regulatory approvals and market integration, with interest from logistics providers and defence organisations.
