Autonomous electric aircraft startup Pyka has been diligently working to expand its fleet of crop-dusting and cargo planes, and recently, the company has attracted the attention of a prominent new client: the Pentagon. With the promise of an eco-friendly, dual-purpose autonomous aircraft, Pyka has managed to secure $40 million in funding, propelling its plans forward and generating significant excitement among investors.
The U.S. Army is rapidly advancing its airborne intelligence capabilities with the commissioning of the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to develop a next-generation spy plane under the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) project. This nearly decade-long contract is valued at up to $991.3 million, with an initial order of $93.5 million.