DJI FlyCart 100 delivery drone carries a warehouse in the sky

DJI has built drones for photographers, racers, and even law enforcement, but the FlyCart 100 takes the company’s hardware in a new direction. The FlyCart 100 truly opens up previously inaccessible areas by allowing us to transport large cargo loads over long distances and transform those inaccessible locations into good supply depots.

Over the past year, delivery companies have been doing their utmost to reduce costs and speed up their routes, but DJI saw this as an opportunity to develop technology that does the heavy lifting. Literally: the thing weighs 83 pounds empty, but can carry 44 pounds of stuff during a normal flight. But the real magic comes when you have a short distance to travel; it can double to 88 pounds, so whether you’re transporting medical supplies or building materials, this device has you covered.

The built-in case essentially wraps around your gear and holds it in place with straps and sections that close securely. The container itself is a respectable size, at 8 inches long, 6 inches wide and 12 inches high, allowing you to store all kinds of oddly shaped goods that would rattle around in a backpack. With an IP55 weather certification, it can withstand almost any weather condition, so you can take it outside in the rain or dust without any hassle. Inside there’s foam cushioning to protect all your delicate gear, as well as a quick-release buckle that lets you remove the whole thing after you’ve delivered what you need, then easily reattach it for the return trip.
In terms of flight, it performs exactly as an industrial workhorse should. You can fly for up to 21 minutes with a 44-pound load on board, or 37 minutes with a lower load, and the top speed is a decent 45 mph, with a range of 20 miles round-trip on a single charge. And they include an advanced method of switching between two smart cells that can be turned on and off quickly, giving you plenty of room to complete back-to-back runs. Even in winds of 25 km/h, the six rotors keep the thing stable, allowing it to fly gently, while the GPS keeps it on course to within a few centimeters. You can even keep an eye on everything using a wearable controller or app, including live video feeds from built-in cameras so you can see exactly what’s happening. That level of visibility is invaluable, especially when flying over dense forest or maneuvering through city traffic.

The FlyCart 100 is packed with safety features that give you peace of mind, such as a pair of redundant motors that kick in if one fails and sensors that scan all around you to detect trees or electrical wires. As you gently float toward Earth, a parachute automatically deploys to slow you down and ensure a safe landing. In addition, the winch system allows the machine to lower cargo up to 20 meters below the drone without ever having to land in a difficult location. Once the package hits the ground, the cable is looped back up, ready to go again. This is especially important in circumstances where speed is of the essence, such as sending a defibrillator to a stranded climber or delivering vaccinations to a village cut off by flooding. DJI tested the item with thousands of simulated drops to ensure it could withstand the load.

In the real world, extensive field testing has had a significant impact on the way the FlyCart 100 is designed, such as the use of carbon fiber arms that fold flat, making the entire device small enough to fit in a large suitcase. Unfolded, it measures 1.5 meters from tip to tip, but weighs just 33kg, making it light enough to be carried by one person in the back of a truck. And at night, brilliant LEDs illuminate the site, and a loud buzzer warns anyone who gets too close from 100 meters away. Pilots use it in conjunction with the DJI Pilot 2 program, which is essentially a route planning and tracking tool that also maps no-fly zones and tracks every takeoff, which is useful in regulated airspace where all the paperwork needs to be filled out. DJI has even ensured that it works seamlessly with third-party tracking systems, allowing fleets to use it without any hassle.

The most impressive feature of the FlyCart 100 is how quietly it operates. In the highlands it was used to carry 40 pounds of tools for surveying crews, which must have been a boon to the boys and girls there. In the city it was used to transport items to high-rise apartments while avoiding traffic on the streets. One logistics company saved 30% on fuel by replacing vans with drones for residential trips. Changing the battery only takes about two minutes, and the charging station can handle four packs at a time, ensuring a steady stream of drones. In terms of noise, you can reach 76 decibels during takeoff, which is basically comparable to a dishwasher; the neighbors will never notice.