Draganfly Heavy Lift

Draganfly Heavy Lift is an octacopter cargo drone built by Draganfly Innovations of Canada, designed to carry payloads of up to 30 kg. It is built around eight folding carbon-fibre arms and a modular payload system spanning small, large and heavy attachment points, and in September 2026 became the subject of an FAA exemption allowing US commercial operators to fly it above the standard 55 lb weight limit.

Overview

Draganfly designed the Heavy Lift as an industrial octacopter for operators who need to carry heavier or larger sensors and cargo than a typical enterprise drone allows, including hyperspectral and bathymetric LiDAR for large-area surveys, medical and defence logistics payloads, and multi-sensor arrays. On 1 September 2026, Draganfly announced that the US Federal Aviation Administration had granted the Heavy Lift platform a Section 44807 Special Authority exemption, permitting Draganfly and authorised commercial operators to fly it at take-off weights above the 55 lb (25 kg) ceiling normally imposed by FAA Part 107, which the company said unlocks heavier-payload commercial operations in US airspace for uses including medical supply delivery, defence logistics, powerline maintenance and aerial survey.

Design and capabilities

The aircraft unfolds to a 2,980 mm diameter across its propellers (2,165 mm across the body alone) and 750 mm tall, folding down to a 910 mm diameter and 745 mm height for transport; it weighs 50 kg empty including its batteries, with a maximum take-off weight of 80 kg. Eight brushless DC motors on folding, twice-jointed arms are powered by eight lithium-polymer batteries (570 Wh each, arranged 4S2P) delivering a nominal 91.2 V. Draganfly's specifications give a maximum payload power draw of 1,000 W through the aircraft's custom payload connector. The Heavy Lift supports three payload-attachment systems: small payloads up to 3 kg on a screw-on mount, large payloads up to 10 kg on a pin-and-latch mount, and heavy payloads up to 30 kg on a dedicated hook-and-bar mount unique to this airframe.

Draganfly quotes up to 55 minutes of flight time and offers a choice of radio links for control and telemetry, ranging from the shorter-range Microhard PDDL (up to 2 km) to longer-range options including Doodle Labs Helix and DTC BluSDR, both rated to 10 km. The Heavy Lift uses a CUBE H7 autopilot with triple-redundant inertial measurement, and the aircraft's US-manufactured, Blue UAS-certified configuration is aimed at government and defence customers alongside commercial operators.

Use cases

Draganfly markets the Heavy Lift for cargo delivery, defence logistics, powerline and infrastructure inspection, and aerial survey work that calls for large or heavy sensors such as hyperspectral and bathymetric LiDAR systems. Its FAA Section 44807 exemption, granted in September 2026, specifically targets commercial operators who need to fly above the 55 lb weight threshold that otherwise constrains Part 107 operations in the United States.

Frequently asked questions

How much can the Draganfly Heavy Lift carry?

Up to 30 kg (about 67 lb) on its heavy-payload mount, with a maximum take-off weight of 80 kg.

How long does the Heavy Lift fly?

Draganfly quotes up to 55 minutes of flight time.

How much does the Draganfly Heavy Lift cost?

It starts at US$55,495 for the base configuration, according to Draganfly's online store.

Can the Heavy Lift fly legally above 55 lb in the United States?

Yes, for Draganfly and authorised operators: the FAA granted a Section 44807 Special Authority exemption for the platform on 1 September 2026, covering operations above the standard Part 107 weight limit.

What payloads can the Heavy Lift carry?

Three attachment systems: small payloads up to 3 kg, large payloads up to 10 kg, and heavy payloads up to 30 kg on a dedicated mount unique to this aircraft.