> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.battlepolicy.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Army Puts $46 Million Into Elroy Air's Autonomous Cargo Drone - URL: https://www.battlepolicy.com/the-army-puts-46-million-into-elroy-airs-autonomous-cargo-drone/ - Published: 2026-08-19T14:30:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-19T19:22:20.000Z - Description: The Army is paying $46 million for an autonomous hybrid-VTOL that can resupply several positions per sortie with no runway, no pilot and nobody at the drop point, and to make that work under jamming. - Author: Marcus Schuler - Tags: USA, Autonomy, #daily-brief, Elroy Air, Chaparral, kratos, US Army *The Chaparral is built to resupply several positions per sortie with no runway, no pilot and nobody at the drop point, and the Army is now paying to make that work under jamming.* [Elroy Air](https://elroyair.com/company/news/press-releases/elroy-air-awarded-46-million-army-contract/?ref=battlepolicy.com) said Aug. 18 that it received a $46 million, multiyear U.S. Army contract to develop its autonomous Chaparral hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for modular payload delivery. The award funds a platform built to move heavy cargo where ground routes and crewed aircraft would expose personnel. Frequently Asked Questions What exactly did the Army award Elroy Air? A $46,058,871 firm-fixed-price Phase III SBIR contract (W911QX-26-C-A016) to develop an autonomous Group IV hybrid-electric VTOL cargo aircraft, with work through Feb. 18, 2029 and $5.14 million obligated up front, per the Army contract announcement as carried by Defence Blog and TheDefenseWatch. What can the Chaparral carry and how far? More than 500 pounds (227 kg) in detachable pods over a range of up to 450 miles (724 km), with no runway or charging infrastructure needed, according to Elroy Air. What does "unattended delivery" mean here? Elroy Air says the aircraft can airdrop from hover, airdrop in forward flight, or release cargo after landing, all from pre-programmed coordinates with no operator input and no one at the drop point. A July 15 demonstration released 68- and 70-pound loads in one flight, per the company and Defence Blog. Who builds the aircraft? Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is the exclusive U.S. manufacturer under a five-year agreement and plans the first production aircraft from its Sacramento plant in late 2026, AIN reported. Is Elroy Air going public? Yes. Elroy Air agreed in June 2026 to merge with the SPAC Columbus Circle Capital Corp II at an $800 million pre-money valuation, with more than $165 million in PIPE commitments and a close expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, per the companies' Aug. 10 statement. AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. [More on our AI guidelines](https://www.battlepolicy.com/ai-guidelines/). Below this point 6 more sections. The Army contract announcement lists a $46,058,871 firm-fixed-price Phase III Small Business Innovation Research award, W911QX-26-C-A016, per [Defence Blog](https://defence-blog.com/u-s-army-awards-elroy-air-46-million-cargo-drone-deal/?ref=battlepolicy.com). The service obligated $5.14 million in fiscal 2026 research and development funding and work runs through Feb. 18, 2029\. Phase III moves technology derived from earlier SBIR work toward government use or acquisition. Chaparral is a Group IV uncrewed aircraft, a Pentagon category for systems heavier than 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms). Eight rotors provide vertical lift and four propellers drive forward flight. The aircraft carries more than 500 pounds (227 kilograms) in detachable pods for up to 450 miles (724 kilometers), according to the company. Its hybrid-electric powertrain needs neither charging infrastructure nor a runway. The contract will advance payload mechanisms, an expeditionary mission planner, cyber-protected communications, GPS-denied navigation and field reliability, Elroy Air stated. Those are the failure points that decide whether autonomous resupply survives disrupted communications, navigation and supply networks. Elroy added three unattended delivery modes under separate Army work this year: airdrop from hover, airdrop in forward flight and cargo release after landing. In a July 15 demonstration at Byron, California, one aircraft dropped a 68-pound load from hover and a 70-pound load from 65 feet in the same flight. Both releases ran from pre-programmed coordinates with no operator input, the company noted, a requirement for communications-denied environments. "One Chaparral can now resupply multiple positions in a single sortie, with no pilot at risk and no personnel required at the drop point," Mark Rodrigo, who leads federal business development at Elroy Air, said in a company statement. That is the Army's wager: a 600-kilogram-class autonomous aircraft sustaining distributed units without sending a truck convoy or helicopter crew down the same threatened route. Kratos will build Chaparral in Sacramento under an exclusive five-year U.S. manufacturing agreement, with the first production aircraft planned for late 2026, [AIN](https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2026-07-23/kratos-will-build-elroys-chaparral-autonomous-cargo-vtol?ref=battlepolicy.com) wrote. Elroy and Columbus Circle Capital expect their SPAC merger, at an $800 million pre-money valuation, to close in the fourth quarter. Production and the public listing arrive together, while the Army-funded development program runs into 2029.