UrbanLink Plans to Add Orca Cargo Drones to Advanced Air Mobility Fleet

UrbanLink Plans to Add Orca Cargo Drones to Diverse Fleet

Hybrid-electric drone could support relief operations in Puerto Rico

Traverse Aero is developing the Orca cargo drone with a planned payload of 550 pounds and range of up to around 600 miles.

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By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor

December 2, 2024

UrbanLink Air Mobility has added Traverse Aero’s hybrid-electric Orca eVTOL cargo drone to its planned fleet for a diverse array of advanced air mobility services. In late November, the South Florida-based start-up confirmed an agreement to buy 40 Orca vehicles, which are being developed by California-based Traverse Aero to carry up to 550 pounds of freight in standard cargo pallets.

The terms of the provisional order were not confirmed in a November 25 announcement and Traverse Aero has not said when it aims to complete type certification of the Orca. The aircraft is expected to have a range of around 600 miles, powered by batteries and an unspecificed turbine engine that the company said will be able to run on sustainable aviation fuel.

Initially, UrbanLink plans to operate the Orca drones in Puerto Rico, where it expects to use them for government and relief agency clients for logistics and emergency missions. Subsequently, from its Miami-base, it will also offer the vehciles for relief operations, as well as to carry baggage and cargo for passengers using its planned services using electric aircraft and sea vessels.

Since its launch in April, UrbanLink has also signed provisional orders for Lilium’s six-passenger eVTOL model, as well as Eviation’s Alice fixed-wing aircraft and Regent Craft’s wing-in-ground-effect Viceroy seaglider. It is also working with airports group Ferrovial to develop a network of vertiports in Florida.

“The Orca drones not only provide our customers with an environmentally friendly delivery service, they also allow us to support first responders and local communities in the wake of a natural disaster,” said Ed Wegel, UrbanLink’s founder and chairman. “This partnership marks another step forward in our mission to deliver sustainable, high-value, end-to-end transportation across air, sea and ground.”

In October 2023, Traverse Aero signed a letter of intent with South Korea’s Ghenus Air covering the possible purchase of up to 100 Orcas. The U.S. Air Force has also shown interest in the drone.