Windracers, the low-cost logistics champion, has unveiled its next generation self-flying cargo aircraft, Windracers ULTRA MK2, at the ME London hotel in Central London. With double the power output of its predecessor, the Windracers cargo drone brings a 50% increase in useful payload as well as a significant reduction in fuel costs, while strengthening its position as the low-cost cargo drone of choice for mid-mile logistics.
Originally designed to lower the cost of delivering humanitarian aid to remote communities, the Windracers ULTRA aircraft is designed and manufactured in the UK and is the most capable low-cost heavy-lift, long-range cargo drone available today. Today, Windracers ULTRA is operational in Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States, enabling organizations to transport significant payloads quickly, safely and cost-effectively to hard-to-reach locations.
“The launch of ULTRA MK2 is proof that Windracers has moved quickly from an idea to a commercial organization that meets the needs of customers today,” said founder and Group Executive Chairman Stephen Wright. “I am so proud of the Windracers team who have done phenomenally to bring ULTRA MK2 to market in a very short period of time and for ULTRA development over the last eight years. I know the team shares my excitement as we see the operational impact of ULTRA MK2 for our customers helping people around the world.”
“From eliminating the need for a pilot to developing a multi-mission platform that is reliable and easy to use and maintain, our ultimate goal is to lower the cost to the end user,” he said. Simon Thompson, Group CEO of Windracers, added. “In ULTRA MK2 we have halved our operating fuel costs per kilogram and we will find even more efficiency for our customers in the future.”
The launch event featured interviews from two ULTRA MK2 customers, NORCE and Aviation Sans Frontieres. Rune Storvold, SVP of Observational Systems for NORCE, outlined how ULTRA MK2 will carry two types of radar systems to detect changes to the Antarctic climate. Benoit Gaborit, Head of the mission for aviation without bordersspoke of how ULTRA MK2 will integrate a heavy-lift, long-range drone into the humanitarian aid supply chain for the first time to establish a service that can operate in rapidly changing conditions.
Windracers ULTRA MK2 can take off, fly and land safely without the need for a remote pilot and with minimal ground operator supervision, whether day, night or in fog. ULTRA MK2 is controlled by its own autopilot system, Windracers Autopilot™, a multi-layered flight control system that is robust against flight control unit errors and sensor errors. ULTRA MK2 features Windracers Mission Control™, a route planning and aircraft monitoring system with an intuitive interface that requires minimal training.
With the launch of its ULTRA MK2 self-flying cargo aircraft, Windracers further expands its position as the low-cost cargo drone of choice for mid-mile logistics. The robust 10m wingspan ULTRA MK2 features two 50hp Hirth F23 engines, doubling the power output of its predecessor. ULTRA MK2 offers a significantly improved payload of 150kg while halving fuel costs per kg.
The multi-purpose Windracers ULTRA platform is capable of tracking, dropping and delivering. It has numerous practical applications spanning Post and Parcel, Humanitarian Assistance, Defence, Medical and Environmental Protection. Windracers are trusted by organizations with the highest standards – including British Antarctic Survey, Aviation San Frontieres, NORCE, Lancashire Fire and Rescue, Royal Mail, Royal Navy and the UK Ministry of Defence.
Windracers have completed hundreds of thousands of kilometers of autonomous beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights in some of the world’s most hostile environments, from Scotland’s Orkney Islands to Antarctica. Its UAV has also conducted intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and resupply support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2023 as part of the UK Ministry of Defense UAV Support Programme.
The launch of the ULTRA MK2 comes as governments, regulators and logistics companies increasingly recognize the inevitable transition to autonomous flight. The UK government recently announced a Regulatory Innovation Office to speed up access to new technologies, including cargo drones.
