Skyways Lands $37M USAF Deal to Mass-Produce Cargo Drone
Texas-based aerospace firm Skyways has secured a $37-million contract from the US Air Force to advance its V3 autonomous cargo drone from prototyping to full-rate production.
Under the deal, the company will finalize the drone’s production design, scale up manufacturing, and continue developing its autonomy stack.
The goal is to eventually deploy thousands of V3 drones for cargo and logistics operations across both defense and commercial sectors.
The contract also marks a significant milestone toward making the V3 a formal Program of Record, potentially cementing its role in the service’s long-term logistics strategy and unlocking sustained funding for production, upgrades, and deployment.
“Skyways is landing contracts well above its weight class and that’s no accident,” said company CEO Charles Acknin. “Our approach is different … as we self-fund building and flying full-scale aircraft early during development so prospective customers can see real capability.”
‘Redefining Cargo Transport’
The V3 builds on the company’s earlier, flight-proven V2 model, carrying the same autonomy suite for fully automated takeoff, flight, and landing.
It offers significant performance improvements, including a payload capacity of 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms), more than triple that of its predecessor.
It also has an operational range of over 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) with 20 hours of endurance.
Both aircraft use a double-hybrid power system, combining electric and fuel sources for vertical takeoff and efficient forward flight.
Skyways described the platform as part of its broader push to build the world’s largest fleet of autonomous logistics aircraft in the next five years.
“Skyways is redefining cargo transport with a new class of uncrewed, affordable, and ultra-efficient aircraft, positioned to transform a global logistics market worth hundreds of billions annually,” the company noted.
“By combining advanced autonomy with a design optimized for mass production, the company enables cost-effective, scalable logistics in areas where traditional aviation is too costly or risky.”
