Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. After spending several years in the Pacific Northwest, she has returned to the Knoxville area.

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Hanneke Weitering

Piasecki Aircraft is introducing a more robust variant of the Kargo medium-lift uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) it <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2025-04-28/piasecki-acquires-kamans-kargo-uav-program">acquired from Kaman Air Vehicles</a> earlier this year, the company announced on August 12.&nbsp;
Called Kargo II, the new aircraft will be the same size as the original Kargo UAV but with a payload capacity of up to 2,000 pounds—more than three times the Kargo UAV’s maximum payload. It will offer a range of 850 nm at a cruise speed of 65 knots with a maximum speed of 120 knots. According to Piasecki, the Kargo II features a new shaft-driven transmission and larger rotors to increase its performance.&nbsp;
“Kargo II reflects Piasecki’s commitment to rapidly advancing autonomous vertical lift capabilities,” said company CEO John Piasecki. “With the launch of this first major development spiral, we’ve created a more capable, scalable solution for autonomous logistics, designed to meet the evolving requirements of defense and commercial customers alike.”
Piasecki aims to have the Kargo II in service by late 2027. A full-scale prototype of the Kargo UAV,&nbsp;powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft engine,&nbsp;made its first flight in December 2023. In August 2024, the aircraft demonstrated a 500-pound autonomous cargo transport operation for a U.S. Army exercise. Piasecki is now retrofitting that test aircraft to turn it into a full-scale Kargo II prototype, and the company has not yet disclosed the engine for the upgraded model. Piasecki will manufacture the UAVs at its Heliplex facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
“Kargo II is a direct response to operator feedback, validated use cases, and real-world mission needs,” said Romin Dasmalchi, director of cargo UAS programs at Piasecki. “We’ve engineered a platform that offers the range, lift, and reliability that commercial operators and military planners have been asking for.”
Piasecki envisions numerous applications for its Kargo UAV family in the defense and commercial sectors, as well as for humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts in inaccessible areas. The vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft could deliver supplies and equipment to troops as well as remote mining locations and offshore rigs. They could also support law enforcement and firefighting operations.
In a separate project funded by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Department of Energy, Piasecki is also working on a <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-05-14/us-government-backs-piaseckis-hydrogen-vtol-aircraft-study">hydrogen-powered helicopter</a> that it aims to bring into commercial service by the end of the decade. It intends to fly a full-scale prototype of the PA-890 slow-rotor wing compound helicopter using hydrogen fuel cells in 2028. This model is expected to be able to carry a pilot and seven passengers on flights of more than 200 nm.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the range for the Kargo II is 1,100 nm. Piasecki is now indicating the aircraft has an anticipated range of 850 nm.

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