Aspera Eureka: Bengaluru Cargo Plane Lands on Water, Targets Under $1 per Tonne-Km

Bengaluru startup Aspera Industries unveiled Eureka, an unmanned amphibious cargo aircraft that takes off and lands on water. It claims a 1000 kg payload, 2000 km range and a target cost below $1 per tonne-kilometer. A subscale prototype has flown, but certification and fleet economics are not yet confirmed.

• 1000 kg payload, 2000 km range, cruise altitude about 6500 feet
• Cost target: under $1 per tonne-km, under 50 cents at scale
• Retractable hydrofoils instead of a seaplane hull for water takeoff
• First markets: New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia, then India