California’s Elroy Air has signed a five-year strategic deal with Kratos Defense to make the latter the sole U.S. producer of its Chaparral autonomous cargo drone.
Production is slated to begin next year, with early builds at Kratos’ Sacramento facility, followed by a shift to Oklahoma for mass production. The arrangement is expected to create jobs and broaden the domestic aerospace supply base.
The Chaparral hybrid-electric VTOL can autonomously transport 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of payload over 300 miles (483 kilometers). Powered by both fuel and batteries, it offers rapid turnaround, the ability to recharge mid-flight, and longer endurance than battery-only drones.
During August trials, the aircraft successfully completed its first transition from vertical lift to forward flight, demonstrating improved performance and readiness for scaled operations.
