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Sabrewing Sells 53 Rhaegal-A VTOL Air Cargo Drones, Continues to Expand Its Customer List

Unmanned cargo aircraft manufacturer Sabrewing just landed a deal with Arabian Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMC), with the latter agreeing to buy Sabrewing’s Rhaegal-A “Alpha” heavy-lift aerial vehicle.
Rhaegal VTOL air cargo drone 6 photos
Photo: Sabrewing Aircraft Company
Rhaegal VTOL air cargo droneRhaegal VTOL air cargo droneRhaegal VTOL air cargo droneRhaegal VTOL air cargo droneRhaegal VTOL air cargo drone
With more than 98 years of experience in designing and manufacturing aircraft, California-based Sabrewing Aircraft Company is getting ready to revolutionize air freight with its Rhaegal cargo drone. The UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) recently managed to conduct a record-breaking flight, carrying 829 lb (374 kg) of payload, which Sabrewing claims are more than any uncrewed commercial cargo aircraft has ever transported.

The company behind the Rhaegal aircraft just announced a partnership with the aforementioned ADMC, with the customer agreeing to purchase 53 units of the UAV. In addition, the buyer already placed 128 orders for one of Sabrewing’s other models, namely the Rhaegal-B Bravo, which can lift up to 5,400 lb (2,450 kg) vertically and up to 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) conventionally, as a fixed-wing aircraft.

The Rhaegal-A and Rhaegal-B both have VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) capabilities and they can also take off and land conventionally.

As boasted by Sabrewing, the recent order from ADMC comes as a well deserved feedback for Rhaegal-Alpha’s first flight performed back in September. According to Ed De Reyes, the company’s CEO, the cargo aircraft managed to carry a payload that beat the highest planned payload capacity of the closest competitor by almost 500 pounds (226 kg), with over four times more volume than the competition. It was that success that attracted a lot of customers, with ADMC being one of them.

The Rhaegal-A is approximately 48 ft (14.6 m) long and has a wingspan of 55.8 ft (17 m). The production version of the cargo drone will have a maximum payload capacity of 5,400 lb (2,454 kg). It uses a turbo-electric drivetrain, can operate on 50 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SACF), and turns an electric generator producing around 1 MW of electric energy, which in turn powers the electric motors in each of its four ducted fans.

Sabrewing plans to begin the deliveries of the first Alpha models for type certification testing by the beginning of the third quarter of next year.
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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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