The autonomous air freight company Xwing has just announced that it has successfully delivered vaccines against Covid-19 to the United States. An important milestone for both the company and the thriving autonomous air cargo industry. The operation was approved by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) in November.
Each flight has a pilot on board. Xwing uses a stack of human-operated software tools, which integrate seamlessly with existing aircraft to enable unmanned regional flights. The aim is to make flights more accessible and reduce training costs for pilots, who currently need to be trained specifically on each type of aircraft they fly.
Distribute vaccines quickly
“The United States has taken an important step in vaccine development, but the challenge now remains to distribute these doses widely throughout the country, quickly and efficiently. At Xwing, we are honored to be able to participate in this operation by using our cargo planes to deliver thousands of vaccines to some of the places that need it most. “
In Holbrook, Arizona, a delivery took place, which is part of a larger nationwide logistics operation to bring Pfizer vaccines to the hard-hit United States’ largest Indian reservation, the Navajo Nation. The situation is delicate because these vaccines have a limited shelf life, which makes express air cargo operations essential. The Navajo Nation has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, with the region having one of the highest infection rates in the United States.
Earlier this year, Xwing had successfully demonstrated the first fully autonomous non-commercial air cargo flight.
Source : ZDNet.com
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