Elroy Air flew the first uncrewed cargo flights in the FAA's eVTOL pilot program from a working Louisiana heliport

Elroy Air announced on September 2 that its Chaparral aircraft completed the first autonomous, uncrewed flights authorized under the U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. The flights ran for a week in late August at Houma-Terrebonne Airport in Louisiana, which the company describes as one of the nation's busiest airports for rotorcraft because of offshore energy traffic, with no pilot on board and under air traffic control oversight. Partners were LIFTOFF Louisiana and Bristow Group. Cargo across the week included parcels, medical supplies, toolboxes with spare parts, food, and jerry cans of water.

Chaparral is a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that Elroy Air rates at more than 500 pounds of payload and up to 450 miles of range, with no runway or charging infrastructure required. Elroy Air was selected for the eIPP in March 2026 as part of Louisiana's application and says Chaparral is the only purpose-built heavy-payload cargo drone in the program. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is the exclusive U.S. manufacturer and plans the first production aircraft from its Sacramento facility in late 2026. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in the company's release that the demonstration provides data to help turn these concepts from trial to deployment.