British aircraft manufacturer Skyfly Technologies has raised $10 million in a seed funding round led by maritime/logistics investor HICO Investment Group and defense-focused venture firm Archangel to accelerate the development of the “Longbow” hybrid-electric heavy-lift unmanned aerial system (UAS).
Derived from Skyfly’s two-seat “Axe” eVTOL airframe, the Longbow is designed as an autonomous or remotely operated uncrewed logistics platform capable of carrying 200 kg (440 lbs) of payload over a 640 km (400 miles) range without requiring runway infrastructure. Operating under the UK Ministry of Defence’s Uncrewed Air Systems Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) framework, the aircraft targets maritime ship-to-shore logistics, front-line tactical resupply, electronic warfare (EW), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). The funding will support flight demonstrations, hybrid propulsion scaling, and FAA certification under updated Light Sport Aircraft guidelines at Skyfly’s 930 m² UK manufacturing facility.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: SKYFLY LONGBOW HYBRID-ELECTRIC HEAVY-LIFT LOGISTICS UAS
Developer & Manufacturer
⚡ Skyfly Technologies Ltd (United Kingdom) 
Funding & Strategic Framework
⚡ Seed Capital: $10 Million round led by HICO Investment Group and Archangel
⚡ Defense Integration Framework: Enrolled in UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Uncrewed Air Systems Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) program
Airframe Architecture & Physical Parameters
💥 Airframe Layout: Lightweight carbon-composite winged-canard architecture with fixed-angle motors (eliminates complex tilt-rotor mechanics)
💥 Dimensions & Weight: Maximum Take-Off Mass (MTOM) of 750 kg | Payload Capacity: 200 kg (440 lbs) internal load
💥 Transportability: Quick-release wings enabling disassembly/containerized breakdown in ~10 minutes for ISO shipping storage
Propulsion, Energy & Power Generation
🚀 Electric Drive: 8× fixed-angle 35 kW electric motors driving non-tilting propellers (280 kW peak system power)
🚀 Hybrid Range Extender: Integrated 65 kW compact micro-turbine generator (50 kg dry weight) providing in-flight battery recharging
🚀 Fuel Compatibility: Operational on standard military logistics fuels (Jet A-1, JP-8, and Diesel); doubles as an off-grid 150 kW generator unit at forward operating bases (FOBs)
Flight Kinematics & Operational Envelope
🚀 Kinematic Metrics: Cruise Speed: 160 km/h (100 mph / 87 knots) | Climb Rate: 2,300 fpm
🚀 Range & Operational Radius: Exceeds 640 km (400 miles) with full 200 kg payload
🚀 Take-off & Landing Flex: VTOL (0 m runway), STOL (30–50 m runway), CTOL (90 m runway)
🚀 Flight Control Architecture: Triple/Quad-redundant certified Veronte 4x flight control system (DO-178C / DO-254 standards)
TIMES OF DEFENCE ASSESSMENT
Skyfly’s development of the Longbow hybrid-electric cargo UAS addresses a key tactical challenge in modern expeditionary warfare: delivering heavy-payload logistics to runway-constrained environments without relying on vulnerable, high-cost crewed helicopters. By leveraging a fixed-wing canard airframe powered by eight non-tilting electric motors, Skyfly avoids the mechanical complexity and single-point failure modes associated with tilting rotors or vector-thrust mechanisms.
From a strategic logistics perspective, the Longbow’s 640 km range and compatibility with standard military fuels (Jet A-1, JP-8, and diesel) make it an ideal asset for naval distributed maritime operations (DMO) and littoral maneuvers. Naval vessels often lack the flight deck space required for fixed-wing UAVs, leaving heavy helicopter assets overloaded with routine cargo transit. Deploying an autonomous, containerizable 750 kg VTOL platform for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore resupply preserves high-value rotorcraft flight hours, lowers operational signatures, and significantly reduces the logistical cost-per-ton-mile across contested maritime corridors.
