Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan watched the first flight of Heli, a hybrid autonomous cargo aircraft developed by the Emirati company LOOD. The launch marks an important national milestone, since Heli is the first civilian aircraft to be fully designed, engineered and manufactured in the United Arab Emirates. Built for medium range heavy cargo operations, it also stands out as a major global step in sustainable air transport.
A breakthrough for aviation in the United Arab Emirates
The aircraft was unveiled during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, an event focused on industrial innovation and the use of artificial intelligence in transportation. Rashid Matar Al Mannaei, the chief executive of LOOD Autonomous, described Heli as a major leap in the future of autonomous aerial logistics and noted its significance as the first homegrown hybrid cargo aircraft in the country.
Al Mannaei explained that Heli was created as a smart logistics platform capable of connecting ports and industrial zones without the need for conventional airport infrastructure. It lifts off vertically with electric motors and then moves into forward flight with the support of a combustion engine. This combination gives the aircraft a unique advantage in both efficiency and travel range.
Range, performance and capability
Heli can travel up to seven hundred kilometres and can carry as much as two hundred and fifty kilograms. This allows the aircraft to move cargo quickly across remote regions or areas with limited infrastructure. Al Mannaei noted that the hybrid system is central to solving the limitations that fully electric aircraft still face, especially restrictions related to battery capacity and available energy.
LOODs engineering team addressed these challenges by creating a hybrid propulsion model that brings together electric power and a high efficiency combustion generator. The aircraft uses smart algorithms to manage energy use and to charge its batteries during flight. This helps maintain stable performance and makes long range commercial operations possible today rather than years in the future.
A new chapter for autonomous air mobility
Al Mannaei said that Heli reflects the United Arab Emirates ambition to become a global leader in intelligent autonomous transport solutions. The company is preparing international expansion plans after confirming the aircrafts effectiveness in Abu Dhabi.
He added that Heli represents more than a new aircraft. It introduces a complete logistics ecosystem based on autonomy, innovation and efficiency. It marks the beginning of a significant new chapter in the future of air mobility in the United Arab Emirates and beyond.
