World's largest cargo drone packs a 50-foot wingspan and 4,000lb payload — but you'll never find a human pilot inside

Poseidon Aerospace has unveiled its largest cargo drone, Egret, boasting a 50-foot wingspan and capable of carrying 4,000 pounds of freight without a human pilot. Remote operators manage the autonomous aircraft through cameras and flight controls, as former Amazon and Lockheed Martin engineers spearhead its development. The drone's primary focus is on reducing freight transportation costs by eliminating the need for an onboard human operator.

Co-founded by David Zagaynov, an Amazon logistics specialist, and Parker Tenney, a Lockheed Martin mechanical engineering graduate, Egret was conceived to move goods economically, likened to autonomous trucking from point A to B. The aircraft's development includes earlier prototypes, including V0 and Seagull, which had to undergo redesigns and water demonstrations.

Remote control systems replace the cockpit, allowing a ground control station to oversee flight. Despite the absence of a cockpit, Egret is intended to be operated under human oversight during testing, with validation of flight control, communications, and reliability essential before operational deployment. The company has secured $60 million in funding to further develop Egret, though specifics on its range, speed, fuel consumption, and operating costs remain unknown.