by DRONELIFE Staff Author Ian J. McNabb
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Pyka Inc., a UAV designer and manufacturer based in Oakland, California, announced that their Pelican Spray crop-protection aircraft has received FAA approval. With a gross weight of 1125 lbs, the highly automated UAS is the heaviest to ever receive FAA authorization for business use in the USA. At the side of an agricultural aircraft operator certificate, farmers can start using the Pelican to boost operations. The Pelican is powered by 4 electric engines totaling 100kw and features swappable batteries and a carbon airframe.
Pyka highlights the risks of agricultural flight of their press release- last yr, the National Transportation Safety Board reported 54 aircraft accidents in agricultural operations, leading to 13 deaths. The Pelican Spray is more environmentally friendly than manned aircraft applications as well, allowing for lower chemical use and more precise application of agricultural sprays. Already operational in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Brazil, the Pelican Spray can carry as much as 540 lbs of liquid and spray as much as 240 acres an hour.
“We’re beyond thrilled to rejoice this business approval and regulatory milestone,” said Michael Norcia, Chief Executive Officer of Pyka. “Pyka’s aircraft provide a necessary tool for safeguarding crops, unlocking cost savings for growers, and reducing our impact on the environment. This business approval is step one in enabling us to generate massive value for growers within the U.S., Latin America, and other markets we operate in, while also laying the operational and regulatory groundwork for scaling into uncrewed cargo operations worldwide.”
To assist them within the approvals process, Pyka was assisted by Hogan Lovells’ UAS Practice, headed by drone industry leader Lisa Ellman, who said, “This can be a significant win for Pyka and the agricultural community they serve. Amongst other safety and environmental advantages, using highly-automated UAS just like the Pelican to perform potentially hazardous aircraft operations can reduce the variety of pilot fatalities that occur every year within the aerial agricultural spraying industry.”
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