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Apr 30, 2019

DRONAMICS develops unmanned aerial systems for shipping commercial and special cargo applications. They are on a mission to democratize airfreight and lower the cost of shipping in emerging markets. To achieve this, they are developing a new type of cargo airplane – small, unmanned and extremely fuel efficient.

It can transport 350 KG over 2,500 KM for a cost that's 50%+ lower than other airplanes. It flies autonomously, can be monitored and managed remotely via satellite, and the whole system costs less than a sports car.

At first, it didn't sound possible, but they keep proving it is, which is why they have called it “The Black Swan”. It can land on short and unpaved runways, enabling on-demand point-to-point flights and speedy same-day delivery even to the most remote locations that would otherwise take days to reach over ground or sea.

​The company is are starting with domestic air networks in African, Asian and Latin American countries with fleets of the Black Swan, taking advantage of the multitude of small airfields that are often unused, training local personnel as drone and logistics operators, and partnering with local industry to provide a valuable lifeline of getting goods in and out of small, remote, mountainous and/or island communities within hours at a cost that is often below even road transportation.

I wanted to learn how technology like this can transform whole economies so invited Svilen Rangelov Co-Founder of DRONAMICS onto my daily tech podcast. We also discuss the startup scene in Sofia Bulgaria.