Volocopter’s electric heavy-lift drone VoloDrone conducted its first public flight at the ITS World Congress 2021. 

Together with the international logistics provider DB Schenker, Volocopter demonstrated VoloDrone’s integration into the logistics supply chain with an end-to-end cargo transport demonstration. 

The partners showed their significant progress together since DB Schenker became a strategic investor of Volocopter in early 2020.

For this delivery simulation, the electric heavy-lift utility drone was equipped with a load-box in between its landing gear. 

First, the demonstration teams secured a Euro-pallet sized load to the box under the VoloDrone, followed by a smooth take-off. 

After this, the aircraft brought the payload to a DB Schenker Cargo Bike and landed safely. 

Once the payload was transferred successfully, the Cargo Bike delivered its cargo to the final destination under the area’s park deck, marking the completion of the entirely electric, multimodal last-mile delivery.

The VoloDrone is an uncrewed, fully electric utility drone designed to carry any of the six International Organization for Standardisation pallet sizes, weighing up to 200 kilograms, over a 40-kilometre range.