Windracers secures Alaska contract for remote deliveries

As previously reported in The Green Miles, Windracers is a UK based company specialising in low emission autonomous cargo aircraft.

It has now secured a contract with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to provide two ULTRA MK1 drones for a major initiative to improve logistics to remote communities across Alaska. The ULTRA MK1 aircraft will be deployed by the university’s Alaska Center for UAS Integration (ACUASI), a research institution for drone technologies in the United States.

The companies said the partnership aims to test and refine best practices for uncrewed aircraft operations in some of the harshest and most logistically challenging environments in North America.

“Air cargo delivery for resupply of our remote communities is vital to life in Alaska so we purchased Windracers ULTRA to better test the possibilities,” said ACUASI Director Cathy Cahill.

“We need aircraft such as Windracers that can cover long distances, carry the weight of emergency supplies and do so reliably, regularly and safely. Our goal is to create an environment for the commercial sector in which UAVs, including self-flying cargo aircraft, become ubiquitous in Alaska and beyond.”

Logistics UK’s Senior Policy Manager Alexandra Herdman said: “Windracers’ innovative ULTRA MK2 aircraft represents a significant step forward in autonomous aviation logistics, offering a compelling solution to the challenges of delivering goods to remote and hard-to-reach locations.

“By enabling cost-effective and reliable middle-mile deliveries, this technology has the potential to revolutionise supply chains and support businesses in meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving global market.”