Disposable cargo drones are finding new uses in the US army. Yesterday, December 1, the press service of Yates Electrospace announced the signing of a contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for the supply of a new version of Silent Arrow cargo gliders.
The contract includes an experimental batch of 15 Silent Arrow Precision Guided Bundle (SA-PGB) gliders. They will be built on the basis of the Silent Arrow GD-2000 serial model, but in a smaller version with a lower load capacity.
Silent Arrow GD-2000 cargo glider test
Yates Electrospace points out that the new version of the unmanned cargo glider will become more versatile due to the possibility of dropping from small aircraft (for example, Cessna Caravan), and launching by swarm from large C-17 type transporters.
SA-PGB will be able to carry up to 160 kg of cargo, while their length will not exceed 1 m. The folding wings will provide a one-time drone with the ability to travel over 60 km from the drop point.