Elroy Air has named Jeremy Hux chief financial officer, effective immediately, as it prepares to become publicly traded. Hux will oversee capital markets, financial reporting, accounting and treasury, and help guide strategy as the company prepares to scale Chaparral cargo-drone production. He most recently served as CFO of UPSIDE Foods.
Elroy Air recently received a multi-year U.S. Army contract worth up to $46 million and flew an autonomous drone in the National Airspace System under the federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program this summer. In June, it entered a definitive business combination agreement with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VII (IPXG). The companies expect the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval and customary closing conditions.
Elroy Air increased its PIPE investment commitments to $175 million on September 24, 2026, ahead of its planned combination with Inflection Point (IPXG).
A PIPE is a private investment in public equity. Of the committed amount, $75 million has been funded before the combination closes. Existing investors Lockheed Martin Ventures and Inflection Point participated. The combination will be submitted to Inflection Point shareholders for a vote. Elroy Air has also been awarded a multiyear U.S. Army contract worth up to $46 million for work on its Chaparral cargo drone. Bristow reserved 10 more early delivery positions, bringing its total to 15. Kratos plans to produce the first aircraft in late 2026. Elroy Air also completed autonomous, uncrewed flights authorized under the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.
Elroy Air announced that Bristow Group (VTOL) reserved 10 additional early delivery positions for its Chaparral autonomous cargo aircraft, bringing Bristow’s total to 15.
Bristow had already secured early delivery slots for five Chaparral drones and announced a pre-order agreement for up to 100 aircraft. The expanded reservation follows autonomous, uncrewed Chaparral flight demonstrations in Houma, Louisiana under the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. Chaparral is an uncrewed VTOL cargo aircraft designed to carry 500+ pounds up to 450 miles without runways or charging infrastructure, using a hybrid-electric powertrain and interchangeable pods.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will serve as exclusive U.S. manufacturer of Chaparral at its Sacramento, California facility, with first production aircraft planned for late 2026. Elroy Air also disclosed a definitive business combination agreement with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VII (Nasdaq: IPXG), sponsored by a team including Cohen & Company (COHN), through which Elroy Air is expected to become publicly traded, subject to SEC review and IPAC shareholder approval.
Elroy Air completed the first uncrewed, autonomous cargo flights authorized under the U.S. DOT and FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) at Houma–Terrebonne Airport in Louisiana. The week-long August campaign used the Chaparral hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft to move varied cargo under air traffic control oversight.
Chaparral can carry over 500 lbs of payload with a range of up to 450 miles and, according to the company, is the only purpose-built heavy-payload cargo drone in the eIPP. The flights were conducted with LIFTOFF Louisiana and Bristow Group to demonstrate commercial readiness for Gulf Coast logistics. Elroy Air reports a commercial demand pipeline exceeding 1,400 aircraft, representing more than $5 billion in potential revenue. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will be the exclusive U.S. manufacturer, targeting first production aircraft in late 2026. Elroy Air has also signed a definitive business combination agreement with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VII (Nasdaq: IPXG), sponsored by a team including Cohen & Company (NYSE American: COHN), to become publicly traded.
Elroy Air, a U.S. developer of autonomous heavy‑cargo drones, announced a $46 million multi‑year contract with the U.S. Army to develop an autonomous hybrid‑electric VTOL uncrewed aircraft system for modular multi‑mission payload delivery.
The program will enhance the Chaparral drone’s payload versatility, delivery mechanisms and battlefield-enabling technologies, including expeditionary mission planning, cyber‑protected communications, GPS‑denied navigation, elevated autonomy and reliable field operation. Elroy Air plans to begin U.S. manufacturing of Chaparral this year via an exclusive partnership with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (Nasdaq: KTOS). The company has also signed a definitive business combination agreement with Columbus Circle Capital Corp II (Nasdaq: CMII), to be renamed Inflection Point Acquisition Corp VII (Nasdaq: IPXG), under which Elroy Air would become a publicly traded company, with a draft Form S‑4 registration statement confidentially submitted to the SEC.
A1R water, an atmospheric water generation company, closed its business combination with SPAC Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. III (Nasdaq: IPCX), following shareholder approval on July 29, 2026 and closing on August 14, 2026. The combined company will list on Nasdaq under ticker “WATR” starting August 17, 2026.
The transaction includes a fully committed $96 million PIPE anchored by Inflection Point, existing A1R water investors, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and institutional investors, to scale atmospheric water production and expand retail distribution. A1R water has launched in South Florida, including partnerships at the Miami HEAT’s Kaseya Center and Inter Miami CF’s NU Stadium.
Elroy Air, a U.S. developer of autonomous heavy‑cargo VTOL drones, and Columbus Circle Capital Corp II (Nasdaq: CMII), a SPAC to be renamed Inflection Point Acquisition Corp VII (Nasdaq: IPXG), have confidentially submitted a draft Form S‑4 to the SEC for their proposed business combination. The deal is expected to close in Q4 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
The transaction values Elroy Air at $800 million pre‑money, with an expected enterprise value of about $1.0 billion at closing. More than $165 million in committed PIPE capital, including $65 million funded at BCA signing, is expected to fully fund commercial‑scale production of Elroy Air’s Chaparral 500+ pound‑capacity, up to 450‑mile‑range hybrid‑electric cargo drone with U.S. partner Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. The combined company is expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker “ELRY”.
Elroy Air announced that, under a U.S. Army contract, it has equipped its Chaparral autonomous heavy‑cargo drone with three unattended delivery modes: precision airdrop from hover, precision airdrop in forward flight, and ground delivery, all without personnel or infrastructure at the delivery site.
In a July 15, 2026 demo, Chaparral released a 68‑pound payload from hover and a 70‑pound payload from 65 feet in forward flight using pre‑programmed coordinates. These modes will be available on production Chaparral aircraft to be manufactured by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (Nasdaq: KTOS) in Sacramento. Elroy Air also recently entered a definitive Business Combination Agreement with Columbus Circle Capital Corp II (Nasdaq: CMII), to be renamed Inflection Point Acquisition Corp VII (Nasdaq: IPXG), backed by Cohen & Company (NYSE American: COHN), through which Elroy Air is expected to become publicly traded.