COATESVILLE, Pa. - Piasecki Aircraft Corporation in Coatesville, Pa., announced it has acquired the KARGO UAV program from Kaman Air Vehicles, adding to its portfolio of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) systems designed for autonomous medium-lift cargo missions. Piasecki has acquired all intellectual property and assets related to the KARGO UAV and plans to relocate development and operations to its Heliplex facility in Coatesville, Pa.
The KARGO UAV features fully autonomous flight capabilities, including vertical takeoff and landing, waypoint navigation, and obstacle avoidance. These functions are powered by the Peregrine autonomy suite from Near Earth Autonomy, which enables the aircraft to operate independently in complex environments without GPS or pilot input.
This includes capabilities such as dynamic rerouting, autonomous landing zone selection, and real-time environmental sensing. The system’s advanced autonomy is designed to reduce operator workload and allow for cargo delivery in GPS-denied, low-visibility, or hazardous conditions.
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"This acquisition is a perfect fit for Piasecki’s long-term vision for a family of autonomous VTOL UAS solutions," said John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft. "Kaman’s KARGO UAV program has already achieved significant milestones. With our VTOL expertise, world-class Heliplex, and deep industry partnerships, we are positioned to accelerate KARGO’s transition from prototype to production."
The system is engineered for rapid deployment, compact storage, and modular payload integration, offering dual-use potential across defense and commercial sectors. KARGO UAV recently completed autonomous flight testing using Near Earth Autonomy’s Peregrine system and received an initial $12 million award from the Marine Corps’ Autonomous Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) program.
"This was a strategic decision to ensure that Kaman’s impressive UAV technology finds a home where it can thrive," said Ross Sealfon, President and CEO of Kaman Corporation. "Piasecki’s reputation for innovation and commercialization in vertical flight solutions makes them the ideal company to take KARGO UAV to market."
