Piasecki launches Kargo II UAV featuring triple payload capacity

Initial production of Kargo II will be based at Piasecki’s Heliplex facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Source | Piasecki Aircraft Corp.

Originally reported by Airframer Ltd. (Hertfordshire, U.K.), Piasecki Aircraft Corp. (Essington, Pa., U.S.) has recently introduced Kargo II, a larger-capacity version of its Kargo medium-lift unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which it acquired from Kaman Air Vehicles in April 2025. The new model is reported to feature significant payload, drivetrain and performance upgrades to support a range of military and commercial missions. According to FlightGlobal.com, the Kargo II pre-production prototypes feature a composite shell, which is similar to Kargo UAV.

Designed for contested and remote environments, Kargo II retains the compact form of Kargo UAV while delivering two to three times the payload — from around 500-800 pounds to over 1,500 pounds — with improved range, airspeed and mission flexibility. It uses a new shaft-driven transmission and larger rotors to achieve this.

Kargo II follows successful flight testing of Kargo UAV under U.S. Army and Marine Corps contracts, including autonomous lift operations and advanced flight control integration. Commercial availability in domestic and international markets is planned for late 2027. 

“Kargo II reflects Piasecki’s commitment to rapidly advancing autonomous vertical lift capabilities,” says John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft Corp. “With the launch of this first major development spiral, we’ve created a more capable, scalable solution for autonomous logistics, designed to meet the evolving requirements of defense and commercial customers alike.”