Cost-Effective Electric Cargo Aircraft

Regional air cargo operations are essential for logistics but face challenges due to high costs and low aircraft utilization. Existing regional cargo aircraft, such as the Cessna 208 Caravan and Beechcraft 99, have high operating costs associated with fuel burn and maintenance of their aging airframes, yet cargo air carriers often rely on depreciated legacy aircraft because of the high acquisition costs of new aircraft. The proposed work focuses on the design of a novel, low-cost, autonomy-ready, electric aircraft optimized for regional air cargo operations. Phase I will include market studies to define aircraft requirements, trade space exploration to evaluate conceptual designs and electric propulsion integration strategies, concepts of operations modeling, cost modeling, and exploration of certification pathways. The target market for the aircraft consists of regional cargo operators, feeder airlines, and government agencies needing affordable air logistics solutions. The proposed work will accelerate the adoption of electrified autonomous cargo aircraft and increase the economic viability of the regional air cargo industry.