Autonomous cargo plane maker lands $7 million tax credit
Pyka’s Pelican Cargo model can haul 400 pounds of payload for 200 miles.
Autonomous electric cargo plane vendor Pyka will expand manufacturing of its zero-emissions aircraft thanks to a $7 million tax credit from the state of California, the startup said today.
Oakland, California-based Pyka was awarded a California Competes Tax Credit with the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), approved last week by the California Competes Tax Credit Committee. The funding follows a venture capital round of $37 million raised last year.
"This support and partnership with GO-Biz accelerates our manufacturing capabilities and facilitates immediate job creation in Oakland and at our test sites across California," Chuma Ogunwole, Pyka Co-Founder & COO, said in a release. "This award accelerates the application of California's zero-emission autonomous aviation innovation and creates economic opportunities for communities across California."
The company makes a Pelican Spray model—for agricultural operations—and Pelican Cargo, for air freight transportation. The cargo model offers 400 pounds of payload in 66 cubic feet of volume with a range of 200 miles.