New aerospace startup Grid Aero has signed a contract with the U.S. Air Force innovation arm and built a prototype to test its new concept: a “flying pickup truck” drone network designed to solve logistics challenges across the vast Pacific. On August 18, Grid Aero unveiled its “Lifter Lite” drone and announced a $6 million seed round co-led by two venture firms, along with a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AFWERX.
The Lifter Lite aims to carry “thousands of pounds, thousands of miles.” Exact payload and range will vary, but the goal is to haul between 450 and 3,600 kg over distances such as “from Guam to Japan,” about 2,400 km, according to the company. Founded by aerospace veterans from Joby Aviation, Xwing, Northrop Grumman, and the U.S. Air Force, Grid Aero is taking a faster, more cost-effective approach to developing large drones for military and commercial logistics.
Grid Aero is building an airborne pickup truck—rugged, mission-flexible drones that combine autonomy with robust modular hardware. The shift from large, expensive platforms to distributed fleets of intelligent, affordable systems is long overdue—and critical to the future of global logistics.
Grid Aero has received a direct-to-Phase II SBIR award from the Department of the Air Force’s AFWERX program. To address tactical logistics challenges in contested environments, disruptive innovation is essential. This award reflects demand for affordable, scalable, autonomous cargo solutions that can operate reliably in adversarial, GPS-denied conditions where traditional military logistics platforms face high risk.
A former Director of Logistics for the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated: “As a former J4 at the Joint Staff, I saw firsthand the operational needs in the Indo-Pacific. Grid Aero offers a unique, scalable, rapidly deployable airborne logistics solution. It addresses the tyranny of distance with agility and speed that our legacy systems lack. While China has fielded multiple platforms of this kind, Grid Aero remains the only reliable, operationally capable option in the U.S. If America truly wants to sustain deterrence and forward readiness in the region, investing in Grid Aero is not optional—it’s essential.”
(Concept render of Grid Aero’s Lifter Lite drone network)
Grid’s operating model is built around a distributed network of low-cost autonomous cargo aircraft capable of moving heavy payloads over long distances—even into unprepared or high-risk locations. This dual-use capability also underpins the company’s commercial growth strategy, especially for underserved short-haul freight routes where traditional air cargo economics break down. With early DoD support, rapid development cycles, and a compelling dual-use narrative, Grid Aero exemplifies a new generation of aerospace firms—leaner, faster, and better aligned to evolving national security and global trade demands.
The prototype program began in January, with final assembly taking about six months. Ground testing will start this fall. Compared to the C-130’s 15,800 kg max payload, the Lifter Lite is smaller and lighter. But Grid Aero positions it as the solution to a long-discussed Air Force challenge: how to sustain agile combat deployments and disperse airmen and aircraft from large central hubs to smaller, remote, or austere bases, reducing vulnerability to attack.
With China’s missile reach expanding and countless small islands in the Pacific serving as potential staging points, Agile Combat Employment (ACE) is critical in the region. But sustaining such a dispersed force—and maintaining combat airpower—won’t be easy, especially in contested airspace. To meet this challenge, Grid Aero is developing a large drone network. Coordinating and flying so many aircraft requires autonomy. The company is building software for fleet management, incorporating “human-on-the-loop” capability for intervention when necessary.
Grid Aero is not alone in exploring small-aircraft solutions for such missions. Industry insiders note that Joby Aviation (which acquired Xwing in June 2024) has announced a partnership with L3Harris to develop an autonomous VTOL aircraft for contested logistics and other defense missions. Another autonomous flight startup, Reliable Robotics, has outfitted its Cessna aircraft for cargo delivery.
Grid Aero’s advisory board includes three retired U.S. Air Force officers: a former Joint Staff Director for Logistics, a former Mobility Wing Commander and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, and a former Pacific Air Forces International Affairs lead.