Copenhagen-based Acodyne announced it has raised €2.5 million in pre-seed funding to help build autonomous cargo aircraft designed for “heavy payload transport.” The aircraft will be able to carry “100–500 kg at speeds of up to 450 km/h,” according to an announcement by the founder.
Gungnir Capital, PSV Hafnium, EIFO, SAP9 Group, and GreenUp Syndicate IV backed the pre-seed round.
“This investment enables us to accelerate the development of our E100 prototype, advance full-scale flight testing, and grow our team of aerospace engineers, designers, and business builders. Today, we are just 10 passionate people working from Avedøre Airfield, united by a shared ambition to redefine how cargo moves,” said founder Mads Schnack.
Acodyne’s systems are vertical take-off and landing, which means they don’t require a long runway to take flight. Because they are battery-powered, the aircraft can fly for 75 minutes in one go with a range of about 500 kilometers.
Interestingly, the company is using its own proprietary engines that come in electronic and hybrid versions. Their smallest aircraft, the E100, can carry a payload of about 100 kg while the largest UAV, the E500, can carry 500 kg and is about seven meters square. The plane has removable wings for easier transport in standard containers.
The value of an autonomous cargo aircraft is clear, especially in the context of cross-border deliveries in both civilian and wartime situations.
“The momentum behind autonomous aviation has never been stronger. Across defence, offshore operations, and logistics, we see growing demand from organizations that recognize the future of transportation will be autonomous, efficient, and increasingly airborne,” said Schnack.
Acodyne says the drones could replace crewed helicopters on short-range missions while reducing costs and risk. Future hybrid-electric versions are expected to double the range to 1,000 kilometres, and the company plans to integrate AI-assisted flight planning and autonomous operations. Flight testing is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, with commercial operations targeted for 2028.
