A Texas-based aerospace company, Skyways, has landed a substantial $37-million contract from the US Air Force aimed at advancing its V3 autonomous cargo drone from the prototyping stage to full-rate production. This pivotal agreement allows the company to finalize the drone’s production design, scale up manufacturing capabilities, and further develop the technology that underpins its autonomy features.
The long-term vision includes deploying thousands of V3 drones for cargo and logistics tasks across both defense and commercial markets. This contract signifies a major step towards the V3 becoming a formal Program of Record for the Air Force, which could cement its role in the military’s logistics strategy and secure ongoing funding for production, upgrades, and deployment initiatives.
Skyways CEO Charles Acknin emphasized the company’s unique approach, stating, “Skyways is landing contracts well above its weight class and that’s no accident… our strategy involves self-funding the development and flying of full-scale aircraft early in the process, providing prospective customers with tangible capabilities.”
The V3 drone is built upon the success of its predecessor, the flight-proven V2 model, and carries the same advanced autonomy suite enabling fully automated takeoff, flight, and landing. The new model boasts significant enhancements, including a payload capacity of 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms)—more than three times that of its predecessor—and an operational range exceeding 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) with a robust endurance of 20 hours.
Both the V3 and V2 employ a double-hybrid power system that utilizes a combination of electric and fuel sources, facilitating vertical takeoff and maximizing efficiency during forward flight. Skyways aims to position the V3 as part of a larger initiative to establish the world’s largest fleet of autonomous logistics aircraft within the next five years.
The company asserts that it is “redefining cargo transport with a new class of uncrewed, affordable, and ultra-efficient aircraft,” targeting a global logistics market valued at hundreds of billions. By merging advanced autonomous technologies with a design optimized for mass production, Skyways is set to enable cost-effective logistics solutions in areas where traditional aviation methods may be prohibitively expensive or risky.
