The future of cargo logistics has been demonstrated by California-based aerospace company MightyFly, which successfully showcased the autonomous capabilities of its third-generation Cento aircraft in a live flight mission for the U.S. Air Force. The event, conducted on May 8, 2025, at New Jerusalem Airport in California, marked a significant milestone for the company and the broader movement toward fully autonomous, long-range, and rapid cargo delivery platforms.
The demonstration was part of a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract awarded under AFWERX, a Department of the Air Force innovation initiative aimed at leveraging private-sector technologies for military applications. The flight served as a proof of concept for the military’s growing interest in autonomous aerial logistics systems, showcasing how these platforms could revolutionize supply chain operations across a spectrum of defense and civilian sectors.
MightyFly’s Cento aircraft executed a fully autonomous logistics mission involving the loading, transport, and delivery of two large cargo packages. The entire sequence—from loading to offloading—was managed without human intervention, thanks to MightyFly’s proprietary Autonomous Load Mastering System (ALMS).
The aircraft autonomously loaded the cargo at the origin site, with the ALMS performing critical tasks such as weight distribution calculations, cargo securing, and sealing of the nose cone. Upon reaching the first delivery site, Cento landed, offloaded the packages, and then continued on to a third location. The aircraft maintained complete autonomy throughout, managing flight navigation, package handling, and system diagnostics in real time.
The mission was conducted under FAA Special Airworthiness and Certificate of Authorization (COA) approvals, covering a 595-square-kilometer test corridor between New Jerusalem and Byron Airports. These approvals also granted MightyFly permission for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) testing—an essential requirement for long-range autonomous logistics.
At the heart of this achievement is the third-generation Cento aircraft—a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cargo drone measuring 4.0 meters in length with a 5.1-meter wingspan. Despite its compact size, the aircraft delivers an impressive 966-kilometer range and a cruising speed of 240 kilometers per hour.
Its propulsion system consists of nine electric motors—eight vertical lift fans for VTOL operations and one pusher propeller for forward flight. A combustion engine provides onboard recharging for the battery, extending range and minimizing reliance on ground-based charging infrastructure. The aircraft’s 45-kilogram cargo capacity can accommodate up to 212 small USPS packages within a modular internal bay, which measures 183 by 47 by 49 centimeters.
The Cento features a tandem wing configuration, modular airframe construction using composite materials, and an integrated conveyor system for package handling. The canard design also doubles as landing gear, a feature intended to minimize aerodynamic drag. These design choices reflect a system built for efficiency, maintainability, and scalability—key requirements for next-generation logistics platforms.
Since December 2022, MightyFly has conducted rigorous autonomous flight testing, culminating in over 30 successful test flights by mid-2025. These operations are aimed at securing the FAA Part 135 air carrier and operator certification, which will enable commercial logistics missions in the U.S. and abroad.
The testing campaign also provides crucial data for evaluating long-range command and control (C2) links, detect-and-avoid systems, and automated decision-making during point-to-point flights in complex airspace environments. FAA approvals for operations up to 1,524 meters altitude have allowed MightyFly to simulate real-world delivery conditions, particularly in regions where terrain or infrastructure pose challenges for ground-based logistics.
MightyFly’s latest demonstration aligns closely with the U.S. military’s strategic objectives for rapid, scalable, and decentralized logistics. By partnering with AFWERX, Agility Prime, and Air Mobility Command, MightyFly is helping the Department of Defense explore how autonomous cargo drones can support mission-critical applications—ranging from battlefield resupply to humanitarian aid and medical delivery in austere environments.
The company’s ALMS is particularly attractive to military planners. By automating package handling and weight balancing, ALMS reduces the need for ground crews and infrastructure. This autonomy simplifies field deployment, enabling forward operating bases to receive supplies without extensive logistical overhead.
Beyond defense, such capabilities also hold promise for disaster relief, where immediate aerial delivery of essentials—such as medicine, food, or water—can be a life-saving service.
The Cento’s one-shot delivery model directly addresses many of the shortcomings of traditional cargo systems, which often rely on multi-stage processes involving several modes of transport and multiple touchpoints. In contrast, MightyFly’s platform supports direct A-to-B delivery without airport dependency or in-transit handling, enabling time-sensitive logistics across sectors such as:
Healthcare: Immediate delivery of pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, or lab samples between hospitals or clinics.
- Manufacturing: Just-in-time component delivery to prevent production line delays.
- Retail and E-commerce: Rapid restocking and fulfillment for urban and rural retail hubs.
- Disaster Response: Delivery of emergency supplies to hard-to-reach or temporarily inaccessible areas.
- The aircraft’s ability to land in areas as small as two or three parking spots means it can operate close to demand centers, reducing last-mile delivery costs and time.
Looking beyond the U.S. market, MightyFly is actively exploring regulatory pathways in other countries, aiming to secure flight approvals and certifications for international operations. Simultaneously, it is developing a 227-kilogram (500-pound) payload variant to expand its reach into heavier logistics categories.
In 2024, MightyFly secured a $150,000 grant from the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform to conduct autonomous delivery demonstrations across the state. These trials—scheduled for late 2025—will include delivery missions for automotive components, retail goods, and medical supplies, targeting a diverse range of use cases.
Additional proof-of-concept programs are underway in coordination with state governments, commercial entities, and federal defense partners. The company’s expanding test portfolio is expected to generate real-world performance data necessary for scaling operations and refining platform capabilities.
Founded in 2019 by aerospace engineer Manal Habib, MightyFly has emerged as a frontrunner in the autonomous aerial cargo space. Habib, who holds degrees from MIT and Stanford, previously worked on drone flight control systems before launching MightyFly to address persistent inefficiencies in global logistics.
Under Habib’s leadership, the company has raised capital from a high-profile roster of investors including Draper Associates, At One Ventures, Global Founders Capital, Graph Ventures, Halogen Ventures, and Side Door Ventures. These funds have supported prototype development, manufacturing scale-up, regulatory engagement, and customer trials.
The company’s headquarters in San Leandro, California, houses research, engineering, and assembly operations. As of mid-2025, the production of the third-generation Cento has been completed, with scale manufacturing infrastructure under development to meet anticipated demand.
While the May 8 demonstration signals a giant leap forward, widespread adoption of autonomous cargo drones still faces challenges:
- Airspace Deconfliction: As autonomous drones enter shared airspace, robust detect-and-avoid systems and real-time traffic management protocols must be in place.
- Public Trust and Acceptance: Ensuring safety and reliability will be critical to gaining community acceptance, particularly in urban settings.
- Regulatory Harmonization: International expansion will require navigating a patchwork of aviation regulations and airworthiness standards across jurisdictions.
- Cybersecurity and Data Integrity: Protecting command and control links from interference or hacking is essential to the safe operation of autonomous systems.
MightyFly has built safeguards into its architecture, including encrypted communications, redundant sensors, and fail-safe landing protocols. Still, regulators and policymakers will play a critical role in defining the framework for autonomous logistics at scale.
MightyFly’s successful demonstration for the U.S. Air Force represents more than a technological showcase—it underscores a paradigm shift in how goods will be moved in the 21st century. By eliminating the need for pilots, runways, and manual cargo handling, platforms like the Cento promise to redefine logistics efficiency, responsiveness, and scalability.
