A2Z Drone Delivery (A2Z) has announced an upgrade to its flagship delivery drone, the RDSX Pelican, with the introduction of a more easily modifiable flight controller.
This enhancement allows customers to integrate their customised flight systems and companion software with the drone, marking a significant step towards domestic manufacturing of the purpose-built commercial drone in the United States, A2Z said.
The RDSX Pelican, which the company designed to ensure reliability and extended range for deliveries, now operates on the open-source CUAV X7+ or Cube flight controller.
This change reportedly provides users greater flexibility to utilise their preferred ground control software and companion systems, including radio beacons.
“Moving to an open-source flight controller allows customers to maximise the PX4 framework with Mission Planner and other industry-standard software,” said Aaron Zhang, founder and CEO of A2Z Drone Delivery.
The Pelican, an asset to support commercial drone fleets, can carry payloads up to five kilograms for up to 40 kilometres roundtrip, the company said, and complies with the FAA’s 55-pound max takeoff weight for Part 107 operations.
Its customisable payload bay can be used to supports a variety of logistics operations, making it well-suited for sectors like aerial mapping, drone inspection, search and rescue and more.
This upgrade is part of A2Z Drone Delivery’s broader strategy to manufacture the Pelican in the US, aiming for NDAA compliance and Blue UAS certification.
