Aerospace startup Grid Aero has unveiled a prototype long-range cargo drone, $6 million in seed funding, and a U.S. Air Force contract under a Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from AFWERX.
According to the company, the program aims to address contested logistics rather than join the crowded defense drone market dominated by quadcopters and weaponized payloads.
“We are building an aircraft that can fly thousands of miles with thousands of pounds, designed for scalability and simplicity,” Grid Aero said in a statement.
The startup’s first platform, called the Lifter-Lite, is described as “the pickup truck of the skies.” It is an uncrewed, long-range cargo aircraft designed to move heavy payloads across extended distances while remaining cost-efficient and rugged enough for repeated operations.
Arthur Dubois, CEO of Grid Aero, said: “A year ago, we started Grid Aero to tackle urgent and unsolved challenges in air cargo. Six months ago, we began building our first full-scale prototype. Today, that aircraft is here. Lifter-Lite is our autonomous, flying pickup truck: simple, rugged, and built to carry thousands of pounds over thousands of miles. For the military, it offers a mass, attritable platform deployable at scale. For commercial operators, it delivers low-cost middle-mile logistics and enables distributed network operations. To fuel this mission, we raised a $6M seed round led by Calibrate Ventures and Ubiquity Ventures with participation from Commonweal Ventures, Boost VC and Calm Ventures.”
Grid Aero said the design philosophy emphasizes simplicity. “Lifter is purpose-built for cargo, designed from first principles to deliver only what matters: a rugged airframe with minimal moving parts, a proven powertrain, and a simplified architecture for rapid assembly and repair. No waste, no frills—just scalable, reliable logistics at a fraction of the cost,” the company noted.
The Lifter series is intended to operate as part of a distributed mesh network of uncrewed aircraft. The company describes the approach as one in which each additional aircraft enhances range, resilience, and adaptability. By expanding the network, operators would gain greater redundancy and logistical reach across contested or austere environments.
Artificial intelligence also plays a role in Grid Aero’s system. The company said its autonomy stack “blends classical controls with modern AI, enabling aircraft to operate intelligently across long distances and in contested environments. From takeoff to delivery, the system adapts in real time, learns from other aircraft across the Grid, and minimizes the need for human oversight.”
The distributed network model is designed for scalability, allowing small ground teams to supervise dozens of aircraft across wide regions. Grid Aero said the approach enables “resilient logistics at scale,” providing a degree of redundancy that could sustain operations even if part of the fleet were disrupted.
By focusing on uncrewed, long-range transport platforms, Grid Aero aims to offer a scalable solution that complements existing airlift capabilities. The company has framed its design as both rugged and cost-effective, a platform stripped of unnecessary complexity and built to sustain operations under difficult conditions.
With its prototype unveiled, Air Force support secured, and seed investment in place, Grid Aero said it is now preparing to expand testing and development of its Lifter platform. The company’s entrance into the defense sector highlights a shift toward autonomous cargo solutions that prioritize endurance, resilience, and contested logistics.
