The Chaparral could eventually fulfill a specific need in FedEx’s network that its current fleet of aircraft and vehicles can’t efficiently provide today, said Joe Stephens, FedEx Express senior vice president of global planning, engineering and technology.
Using VTOL aircraft instead would improve both volume availability and service reliability within FedEx’s network, Stephens added. The Chaparral doesn’t require airport or charging infrastructure, allowing FedEx to move small levels of volume “in a more direct manner” between hubs, ramps and stations.
