NAAA Allied member
Guardian Agriculture announced last week that its Guardian SC1, designed for commercial-scale sustainable farming, began spraying crops for a customer in California’s Salinas Valley region. Guardian claims the aircraft is the first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) designed to fly commercially in the U.S., which would mark a key milestone for the emerging industry.
“This is a watershed moment for sustainable farming and a giant leap forward for eVTOL technology,” said Adam Bercu, Guardian founder and CEO. “While several companies are developing eVTOL technologies, we are now the only one that has both secured FAA approval to operate commercially nationwide, and that’s actually started flying missions on behalf of paying customers.”
With no pilot on board, the SC1 can carry up to 200 pounds. The eVTOL is 12-by-12-foot and 100 percent electric powertrain provides propulsion—charging it and filling the aircraft’s tank with chemicals, combined, takes less than one minute, Guardian claims. The company says its automated system can cover up to 60 acres per hour. The technology is fully programmable, and no manual controls are required to operate the aircraft.