Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

MightyFly has completed the first test flights with its MF-100 autonomous cargo aircraft and is preparing to start piloted freight delivery operations in 2023. On February 17, the company reported that the remotely monitored flights have been conducted over recent months in the San Francisco Bay Area under an FAA special airworthiness certificate issued last year.
The initial vertical takeoff and landing hover flights at Half Moon Airport were made in winds of up to 15 knots.” The MightyFly engineering team has been checking on the redundancy performance of&nbsp;the MF-100’s hybrid-electric propulsion system and its sensors&nbsp;as well as conducting stress tests with some payload onboard.
CEO and founder Manal Habib told FutureFlight that the next phase of testing will begin within a few months to demonstrate the transition to horizontal cruise flight over longer ranges. The MF-100 is expected to have a payload of 100 pounds on flights of up to 600 miles at 150 mph, and the company already has plans for a larger model that could carry 500 pounds.
MightyFly is planning to launch door-to-door freight delivery services with it operating fleets of MF-100s in various locations. This might involve charges based on weight, volume, and distance or providing customers with dedicated aircraft that could be based at facilities such as warehouses. 
The company estimates the vehicle will need a landing area of just 20&nbsp;by&nbsp;20&nbsp;feet, as part of “transfer stations” where cargo can be automatically loaded and unloaded via&nbsp;the MF-100’s nose and using a conveyor belt. When required, last-mile deliveries could then be made with electric ground vehicles.
According to Habib, she is now in talks with several prospective launch customers to be involved in a pilot project, now expected to start in 2023, to evaluate a logistics operation while continuing the flight testing. In addition to the U.S., early&nbsp;use cases could be in locations such as Singapore, Australia, and Japan.
“Over 20 Fortune 500 companies have validated MightFly’s autonomous logistics solution to their mid-mile inefficiencies,” Habib claimed. The company says&nbsp;that its automated loading process and the ability to replace multiple delivery legs with point-to-point connections will significantly drive down delivery and supply chain costs. 
“Loading and unloading cargo is traditionally a very&nbsp;labor-intensive process,” said John Formisano, a retired FedEx executive who now serves on MightyFly’s board. “MightFly will simplify this process, eliminating costly errors and delays.”
The MF-100’s propulsion system now consists of an internal combustion engine, as well as electric motors. The engine recharges batteries in flight to minimize the need for ground infrastructure for this purpose.
Under current FAA rules, the crews remotely monitoring flights are fully qualified pilots who are also trained in operating drones. “Effectively, they are IFR pilots and the MF-100 has very similar instruments to a normal aircraft,” Habib explained.
Since completing a $5.1 million seed funding round in 2021, MightFly has increased the size of its team fourfold. It is in talks with some prospective investors ahead of a possible further funding round next year.
The company has posted <a href="https://youtu.be/Xks-nUtCa40">a video</a> showing the MF-100 prototype flying and illustrating its proposed operating model.

Charles Alcock

MightyFly has started flight testing a full-scale prototype of its MF-100 autonomous cargo aircraft as it prepares to launch a pilot delivery operation in 2023. (Image: MightyFly)

MightyFly Steps Up Flight Testing for Automated, Autonomous Cargo Deliveries

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