Photo: Guardian
If you're tired of hearing about eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) concepts and prototypes that are years away from real-world operations, here's some good news. The first commercially authorized eVTOL in the US is already hard at work in California.
The first certified eVTOL to kick off commercial operations in the US is not an air taxi or a cargo aircraft but a sustainable farming tool. The Guardian SC1 is officially the first commercially authorized eVTOL of any kind in America.
Earlier this year, its manufacturer obtained the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approval for nationwide operations, and now four of these aviation-grade electric aircraft are already working. What exactly are they doing? They're spraying crops in the Salinas Valley, paving the way for large-scale sustainable farming across the country.
The Guardian SC1 autonomous eVTOL is a true pioneer. Officially an "aerial crop protection system," it's the first of its kind that is fully automated, built entirely in the US, and specifically adapted for American farms in terms of size and performance. At 12 x 12 feet (3.6 meters), it boasts a 40 HP drivetrain, a 4 HP brushless electric pump, and a 9.1 kWh battery capacity.
It can carry up to 200 lb (20 gallons/76 liters) of cargo and cover 60 acres per hour. It's designed to be easy to operate with no manual control required. Plus, it offers fully programmable and repeatable coverage. It doesn't damage the crop in any way, and its performance isn't affected by poor ground conditions.
As a fully electric aircraft and digitally controlled, the Guardian SC1 is paving the way for a new generation of agricultural machines and a new way of supporting sustainable practices. One of its main advantages compared to similar systems is that it needs less than a minute for both recharging and tank filling. At the end of the day, it's an efficient, emission-free alternative to conventional crop dusters.
Guardian grew remarkably fast. Adam Bercu co-founded the company in 2017 and gathered the team that built the Alpha prototype. Two more prototypes followed in the next years. By 2020, the company had already built its first production unit, the SC1. A year later, it secured its first commercial orders. So far, customer orders add up to more than $100 million.
As we approach the end of 2023, the ambitious startup with offices in Massachusetts and California has reached another major milestone. Four of the Guardian SC1 eVTOLs have entered commercial service in the Salinas Valley.
The certified eVTOL is available for purchase, with pricing starting at $119,000, and the first deliveries are expected for the end of this year. Most importantly, the Guardian SC1 will be manufactured from scratch in the US.
Earlier this year, its manufacturer obtained the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approval for nationwide operations, and now four of these aviation-grade electric aircraft are already working. What exactly are they doing? They're spraying crops in the Salinas Valley, paving the way for large-scale sustainable farming across the country.
The Guardian SC1 autonomous eVTOL is a true pioneer. Officially an "aerial crop protection system," it's the first of its kind that is fully automated, built entirely in the US, and specifically adapted for American farms in terms of size and performance. At 12 x 12 feet (3.6 meters), it boasts a 40 HP drivetrain, a 4 HP brushless electric pump, and a 9.1 kWh battery capacity.
It can carry up to 200 lb (20 gallons/76 liters) of cargo and cover 60 acres per hour. It's designed to be easy to operate with no manual control required. Plus, it offers fully programmable and repeatable coverage. It doesn't damage the crop in any way, and its performance isn't affected by poor ground conditions.
As a fully electric aircraft and digitally controlled, the Guardian SC1 is paving the way for a new generation of agricultural machines and a new way of supporting sustainable practices. One of its main advantages compared to similar systems is that it needs less than a minute for both recharging and tank filling. At the end of the day, it's an efficient, emission-free alternative to conventional crop dusters.
Guardian grew remarkably fast. Adam Bercu co-founded the company in 2017 and gathered the team that built the Alpha prototype. Two more prototypes followed in the next years. By 2020, the company had already built its first production unit, the SC1. A year later, it secured its first commercial orders. So far, customer orders add up to more than $100 million.
As we approach the end of 2023, the ambitious startup with offices in Massachusetts and California has reached another major milestone. Four of the Guardian SC1 eVTOLs have entered commercial service in the Salinas Valley.
The certified eVTOL is available for purchase, with pricing starting at $119,000, and the first deliveries are expected for the end of this year. Most importantly, the Guardian SC1 will be manufactured from scratch in the US.
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