Payload Capacity of Up to 3.6 Metric Tons: Production of the Lifter Drone Is Being Scaled Up in the USA

Oshkosh Defense and Grid Aero will jointly scale up production of the Lifter logistics drones.

To this end, they announced a strategic partnership.

The initial phase of the collaboration involves production engineering, technical refinement of the design for mass production, and engagement with customers.

The partnership’s ultimate goal is to provide defense customers with autonomous logistics aircraft ready for mass production.

As part of the collaboration, the companies will use Oshkosh’s manufacturing infrastructure in Wisconsin.

“We developed the Lifter platform to make long-range aerial capabilities more accessible. It’s a simple and robust piston-engine design built from common materials. It incorporates many solutions borrowed from military trucks, not just traditional aviation,” Grid Aero’s CEO noted.

The Lifter drone

The Lifter is a long-range cargo drone designed to meet logistics needs.

The platform is designed to transport cargo weighing between 450 and 3,600 kg over distances of up to 3,200 km.

It is intended to be an affordable solution for so-called “mid-range logistics”—in both the military and commercial sectors.

The concept is based on an exclusively cargo-carrying purpose and the absence of unnecessary design complexity.

Meanwhile, the drone has a modular design, which allows it to be adapted for other tasks. In particular, the drone can be converted for reconnaissance, refueling, or even used as a “mother ship” for other drones.

Logistics drones are also being developed in Ukraine. Earlier, the Ukrainian company UADEFENSE presented a line of unmanned aerial vehicles designed to perform a wide range of tasks on the battlefield.