The vertical take-off and landing drone marries a gasoline engine with electric motors, making these huge payloads possible. The SKYF is designed with a 220-hp gasoline engine which hooks directly to the main rotors to lift massive payloads into the air. Small electric motors are then used for stabilization and steering.
The day the record was set in Tatarstan, Russia, two modifications of the drone, SYKF CARGO and SKYF ARGO, were demonstrated. SKYF CARGO shattered the previous payload record while the ARGO “demonstrated an autonomous system for crop dusting developed at SKYF design bureau. The spraying jet is positioned under the main rotor and produces a fog rather than larger droplets spray, which gives greater coverage of the target area by surrounding the plant,” a press release said.
“We have finally completed a critical stage in the SKYF’s development and production. Now, we are happy to share the results. SKYF AGRO is already fully prepared for trial operations. We hope SKYF CARGO modification will be ready at the end of 2019. Also, we start preparing the launch of mass production. I am sure that “Air trucks? will become a kind of routine soon,” said Alexander Timofeev, SKYF’s CEO.
Several countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Japan, and Sweden, have already expressed interest in the $225,000 a piece drones, which can be used in extreme temperatures experienced on a tundra, or in a taiga or desert.