FAA Approves Airworthiness Criteria for Wingcopter Delivery Drone 

This marks a critical milestone in the certification process of Wingcopter’s flagship electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) delivery drone in the US By Caroline Rees / 12 May 2022

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Discover cutting-edge solutions from 51 leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Wingcopter 198_HOVERING
Follow UST

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued Wingcopter the Special Class Airworthiness Criteria for the Wingcopter 198 US unmanned aircraft, marking a critical milestone in the certification process of Wingcopter’s flagship electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) delivery drone in the US.

With the Airworthiness Criteria, the FAA defines technological requirements under title 14, Code of Federal Regulations that must be met to have an aircraft type-certified for regular commercial operations in the US. 

Besides its efficient design for commercial and humanitarian delivery missions, the Wingcopter 198 was engineered from the ground up to meet stringent safety standards. In the development, Wingcopter was able to leverage the operational experience of more than five years with the company’s first delivery drone type in various geographical settings, from the Arctics to the Middle Eastern desert and from remote islands in the South Pacific to San Diego Bay in the US. 

Since applying for the Special Class Type Certificate in March 2020, Wingcopter has collaborated closely with the FAA. The issuance allows Wingcopter to focus its development efforts even more on what the FAA deems necessary for this particular aircraft to receive certification quickly and efficiently.

“We are proud to be among the first delivery drone companies worldwide to ever get their Airworthiness Criteria approved by the FAA,” said Tom Plümmer, Co-Founder and CEO of Wingcopter. “This is a very important milestone for us, not only in our Type Certification Process in the US, but also for our international expansion efforts and for achieving our vision of building logistical highways in the sky. I would like to thank my team as well as the FAA for all the effort and great collaboration to reach this milestone.”

Once type-certified, Wingcopter will be able to fly conventional routes through airspace and over populated areas, ultimately providing the basis for scaling commercial drone delivery operations across the US that will help save and improve lives. The certification is expected to also have a positive impact on Wingcopter’s further certification efforts such as with ANAC in Brazil or JCAB in Japan. 

Find suppliers & manufacturers of Cargo Delivery Unmanned Aerial Systems >>

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Orbital UAV Unveils Advanced Power Management System for Heavy Fuel Engines

Orbital UAV has launched its new Power Management System (PMS), delivering advanced electrical control, protection, and remote start capabilities for heavy fuel drone engines

May 14, 2025
Submersible ROVs Enhancing Underwater Security for Customs & Border Protection

Deep Trekker explores the expanding role of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in enhancing the capabilities of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agencies around the world

May 14, 2025
Persistent Systems Enhances Army Sensor Networks with MANET Technology

Persistent Systems’ Wave Relay® MANET has been selected to enhance U.S. Army CBRNE operations by enabling real-time sensor data sharing and threat response

May 14, 2025
IoT Tech Expo North America to Spotlight AI, 5G & Automation

The IoT Tech Expo North America is returning to Santa Clara in June 2025, bringing together global experts to address trends in AI, 5G, and automation

May 14, 2025
Product Spotlight: Durable Lightweight Lithium-Ion Batteries for UAVs

American Lithium Energy (ALE)'s energy-dense lithium-ion battery cells combine high power output with built-in safety features, ideal for UAV and eVTOL applications in challenging environments

May 14, 2025
eVTOL Aircraft Enhanced by Embention Autopilot System

Embention will deliver flight control systems to eVTOL developer Erium Aerospace, advancing safe, autonomous, and sustainable urban air mobility

May 14, 2025

Featured Content

Product Spotlight: Durable Lightweight Lithium-Ion Batteries for UAVs

American Lithium Energy (ALE)'s energy-dense lithium-ion battery cells combine high power output with built-in safety features, ideal for UAV and eVTOL applications in challenging environments

May 14, 2025
SAE Media Group Releases Agenda for Counter UAS Middle East & Africa 2025

The inaugural Counter UAS Middle East & Africa 2025 will gather global defense leaders in Amman to explore threats, technologies, and strategies shaping regional drone defense

May 13, 2025
New Tactical Grade IMU from Inertial Labs for UAVs & Guided Munitions

Inertial Labs has launched the IMU-H100, a compact, tactical-grade MEMS IMU designed to enhance precision navigation for UAVs and guided systems

May 08, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.