Autonomous Transport Drone Carries 110 lb Payload

Bell’s Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) has completed a test flight carrying 110 lbs. of payload over an 8-mile route at their testing site near Fort Worth, Texas. To date, the APT flight test program has completed over 300 flights.

“The APT flight test team continues to push the capabilities of our aircraft, and we are excited to hit this milestone,” said John Wittmaak, program manager, UAS. “This is yet another example of how Bell continues to adapt to customer needs.”

In 2021, APT will demonstrate several military and commercial operations while simplifying user interfaces and enhancing the aircraft’s autonomous features.

Bell’s APT 70 is designed to transport military goods from base to base or integrate seamlessly into business operations. The platform can carry up to 36 MREs, 72 water bottles, 64 magazines of 5.56 ammunition and a gallon of fuel, delivering mobility without specialized training.

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