Israeli drone technology moves beyond the battlefield with new electric cargo aircraft

Israeli start-up AIR EV unveiled its new DrN-600 electric cargo drone at the Singapore Airshow on Wednesday, presenting an unmanned aircraft designed to meet European Aviation Safety Agency standards and operate in demanding environments while carrying up to 100 kg (220 lb) of cargo.

“Partnering with ST Engineering marks a significant step forward for AIR. Together, we are accelerating the transition of heavy-lift uncrewed platforms from development to deployment, while laying the groundwork for broader adoption of electric aerial logistics across global markets,” AIR stated. “We’re proud to take this next step, marking a new chapter in our journey, bringing new aircraft, new partnerships, and real operational capability to the future of flight,” the company added.

Israel is recognized globally as a leading pioneer in the field of drones for both civilian, intelligence and military purposes.

Last September, AIR presented its flagship model, AIR One, a two-seat electric eVTOL that has a range up to 100 km (62 miles) and can fly for one hour on a single charge. The manned aircraft is also designed to carry a payload of 250 kg (551 lb). Furthermore, the manned aircraft is offered at $200,000, which is considered a competitive price for smaller businesses and even private individuals with limited financial means.

CEO and Co-Founder Rani Plaut explained at the time that the business was focusing on the United States as a key commercial market due to its quality and large size.

“We believe the U.S. market for selling aircraft to private individuals numbers in the hundreds of thousands each year,” Plaut assessed. “That opens a new niche in aviation, where instead of selling dozens or hundreds of units, you can sell thousands."

The company’s manned aircraft is equipped with parachutes and constructed to meet U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification standards. The aircraft has already been tested successfully by the Israeli Air Force and Israeli ground forces, which refer to it as “an aerial Humvee.”

Plaut described AIR One as “a magic carpet moving over 200 kg of supplies into contested areas for military or humanitarian cases.”

In 2022, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, announced during a visit to Israel that it would upgrade its consulate in Tel Aviv to an embassy. In recent years, Singapore has also acquired Israeli defense systems worth hundreds of millions of dollars, including Barak missiles and drones such as the Heron, Hermes 450 and 900, and Orbiter 4.

Israeli companies have increasingly focused on civilian drone applications. Last month, Israel announced that it would construct the country’s first drone vertiport in Tel Aviv, paving the path for both cost-efficient cargo transport and future electric air taxi services.