Aerolane

Aerolane develops engineless cargo gliders and aerotowing systems. Its main product is the AG-1, which the company calls the first engineless cargo glider. The AG-1 is towed behind existing turboprop class cargo aircraft. The company says its mission is to bring aerotowing to every plane.

The company says aerotowing can raise cargo capacity by two to three times and cut fuel use by 65 percent. It says this can extend the range of existing aircraft and move cargo into austere landing zones without putting the main aircraft at risk. Its AC and AG product lines fit a wide range of existing airframes, which the company says allows fleet conversion without long groundings.

The product range is aimed at cargo aircraft from regional turboprops up to the largest jets. A Saab 340 is used as the tractor aircraft in some pairings. Payloads reach up to 7,500 pounds for each aircraft in a pairing, and range gains reach up to 50 percent in some configurations.

Aerolane describes a patented autopilot that lets an aerocart surf through complex wake vortices. The company says this helps the towed aircraft position itself safely for takeoff, flight and landing. Its patented tow system allows single pilot quick connections and multi length rope operations.

Flight testing began in 2022 across a wide area of the southern United States. The company is authorized to test over two states. It reports more than 100 hours of flight tests under an FAA experimental license, a test fleet of seven aircraft and three generations of converted Aerocart glider prototypes. Commercial flights are planned for 2026.

The company says aerotowing can support strategic and tactical airlift in contested environments. Its design draws on the cargo gliders used by US and Allied forces in World War II. The founding team includes former leaders from Amazon Prime Air, BNSF Railway and Gulfstream Aerospace.

Services

• AG-1 engineless cargo glider
• Aerotowing systems
• AC and AG product lines
• Patented autopilot technology
• Defense airlift
• Aerocart glider conversions
• Single pilot tow connections
• Commercial air cargo