Windracer is establishing an operational hub in Malawi to demonstrate how its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can help in humanitarian air cargo missions.
The UK-based designer, manufacturer and operator of autonomous heavylift cargo UAV, Windracers ULTRA has begun establishing an operational base at Kasungu Airfield in the central region of Malawi.
Windracers ULTRA has a useful load of up to 150 kg and a range of up to 1,000 km. The UAV has a 10-metre wingspan, integrated proprietary autopilot systems and mission control software.
Working closely with the Malawi Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of Meteorological Services, the base, which features a newly created aircraft hangar, will provide a real-world testbed for the delivery and dropping by parachute capabilities of Windracers ULTRA.
Stephen Wright, founder and group executive chairman of Windracers, said: “We developed ULTRA with the idea of providing low-cost means of delivering humanitarian aid to hard-to-reach locations for people who need help the most.
"Flights from Kasungu will support a range of humanitarian and development use cases, including medical logistics, environmental monitoring and disaster response. We’re very grateful to our partners in Malawi for helping bring this to life.”
Windracers ULTRA has flown reconnaissance and resupply missions in Ukraine, conducted geological and wildlife surveys in Antarctica and delivered parcels to remote locations off the Scottish and English coasts. It has also supported wildfire operations and dropped medical supplies by parachute.
The cargo drone market has steadily increased in size. Current developers include Dronamics in Europe, Natilus in the US and Air White Whale in China.
