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In 2017, Pyka Inc. was started by Michal
Norcia, the company’s co-founder and
Chief Executive Officer, in his parent’s
garage.
Nowadays, the company is headquartered in Oakland,
California, and manufactures large-scale, highly
automated electric aircraft for crop protection and
cargo transport.
Its
Pelican Spray
drone is fully autonomous and 100
percent electric, offering a highly scalable precision
aerial application in a safe, cost-effective, and
environmentally friendly way.
Pyka told
Precision Ag Digital Digest
that its
drone—with a gross weight of 1,125 lbs—is the largest
ever uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to secure an
FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration)
44807
exemption, authorizing it for commercial operation in
the United States. It means that it can now operate
its zero-emission, highly automated Pelican Spray for
commercial crop protection nationwide.
The Pelican Spray is an autonomous electric aircraft
designed for complex agricultural operations. The
aircraft combines best-in-class spray precision and
chemical drift reduction technologies to provide safe,
clean, and cost-effective crop protection at scale.
A BRIEF LOOK AT THE
PELICAN SPRAYER
Drones that spray are a modern-day force in the air
ANDREW JOSEPH
FARMS.COM
PHOTO: flypyka.com