Pyka and Foundation for California Community Colleges Awarded CARB and CEC Grant for Commercial-Scale Zero-Emission Autonomous Aviation Demonstration in California Agriculture

Posted on April 15th, 2026 | Filed under Press Releases

ALAMEDA, Calif., April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pyka, a California-based leader in autonomous electric aviation, today announced it will serve as the lead technology partner on the California Zero-Emission Aviation Demonstration Project. The project is funded by California Climate Investments through the California Air Resources Board’s Sustainable Heavy-Duty Initiatives for Future Technology (SHIFT) program and supported by the California Energy Commission (CEC).

Administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC), the project will deploy one of the first large-scale commercial demonstrations of all-electric, autonomous aircraft in California agriculture. The multi-year project will demonstrate the real-world viability of zero-emission aviation by deploying Pyka’s all-electric autonomous Pelican 2 aircraft. The aircraft will operate under Federal Aviation Administration approvals for agricultural operations at Victoria Island Farms in California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.

Power will come primarily from off-grid solar charging systems, with additional support from project-funded zero-emission ground-support vehicles. Together, these systems will significantly reduce fossil fuel use associated with both flight operations and on-site agricultural support. The project brings together partners from industry, agriculture, and workforce development, including Pyka, Victoria Island Farms, Ogive Technology, Inc., NPower California, and the Bay Area Community College Consortium (BACCC).

“This project will demonstrate the scalability of zero-emission autonomous aircraft,” said Chuma Ogunwole, Chief Operating Officer of Pyka. “By operating autonomous electric aircraft at commercial scale in a real agricultural environment, we’re proving that aviation can reduce emissions today — not decades from now — while improving safety, efficiency, and community outcomes.”

Advancing CARB’s Climate, Equity, and Technology Goals
The California Zero-Emission Aviation Demonstration Project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that uses Cap-and-Invest funds to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy and improve public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Over the course of the project, operations with Pyka’s aircraft are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The project is also expected to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter and other criteria pollutants by displacing conventional fossil-fuel-powered crop dusters and diesel agricultural equipment.

Additional benefits may include reduced noise pollution, improved application precision that can lower overall chemical use, and reduced spray drift in nearby communities.

“California’s responsibility to protect its citizens from harmful air pollution and the effects of climate change extends beyond cars and trucks,” said CARB Deputy Executive Officer of Mobile Sources & Incentives Christopher Grundler. “CARB investments in SHIFT projects like this one are taking zero-emissions technology to new heights and demonstrating that clean aviation is not only feasible, but already capable of doing many jobs better and cheaper than polluting alternatives.”

“The CEC is proud to fund the deployment of zero-emission aviation infrastructure for this pilot project,” said Melanie Vail, Deputy Director of the CEC Fuels and Transportation Division. “Zero-emission aviation is California’s next frontier, and this off-grid solar charging system could become an industry blueprint.”

The project also includes an equity-centered workforce development and training program, led by FoundationCCC in partnership with NPower California and BACCC. Through paid work experience, professional training pathways, and community college engagement, the program aims to prepare California residents for skilled, living-wage jobs in zero-emission aviation manufacturing and operations.

“This project reflects the kind of collaboration California needs to advance innovative technologies alongside workforce and economic development,” said Dr. Jeffrey Clary, Senior Director of Climate Strategies at the Foundation for California Community Colleges. “By combining zero-emission aviation with workforce initiatives, we’re working to deliver air quality benefits while building pathways into high-quality clean jobs in agriculture and aviation. FoundationCCC is proud to partner with Pyka and the project team on this first-of-its-kind demonstration.”

Building a Scalable Model for Zero-Emission Aviation
Pyka will manufacture and operate the aircraft from its Bay Area facility in Alameda, California, collecting detailed operational data throughout the demonstration. The data will support reporting to CARB and the CEC and help inform future policy development, regulatory pathways, and industry adoption. The project is designed as a replicable model that can be scaled across California’s agricultural sector and adapted to additional aviation uses, including cargo logistics and other critical services. Broader deployment could amplify long-term emissions reductions statewide and beyond.

“This investment demonstrates California’s leadership in tackling some of the most challenging decarbonization challenges,” Ogunwole added. “Aviation has long been one of the most difficult sectors to electrify. This project shows that with the right partners and technology, zero-emission flight is no longer a distant goal – it’s taking shape today.”

About Pyka:
Pyka is a robotics company on a mission to build the most useful autonomous aircraft on Earth. At the core of every Pyka aircraft is a vertically integrated aircraft-first robotics stack: proprietary flight control software, avionics, high-power density electric motors, motor controllers, batteries, and carbon fiber composite airframes, developed entirely in-house and manufactured in the United States of America. Learn more at www.flypyka.com.

About the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC):
The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.

About the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Sustainable Heavy-Duty Initiatives for Future Technology (SHIFT):
This project is part of SHIFT, a program administered by the California Air Resources Board and funded through California Climate Investments.

CARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. CARB is the lead agency for climate change programs and oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health-based air quality standards.

SHIFT is an incentive program administered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) supporting the development and demonstration of advanced, low- and zero-emission technologies for heavy-duty vehicles, off-road equipment, and goods movement. Formerly known as Advanced Technology Demonstration and Pilot Projects, SHIFT investments help accelerate the transition of emerging technologies from pre-commercial demonstration to commercially available options by supporting early deployments and at-scale testing in real-world use. As a part of CARB’s Clean Transportation Incentives, SHIFT projects advance innovative on- and off-road solutions that reduce air pollution, improve public health and support California’s climate and air quality goals.

About California Climate Investments:
California Climate Investments uses billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to fund projects that reduce harmful emissions, protect public health, strengthen local economies, and support natural environments. With a strong focus on communities most impacted by pollution and limited access to resources, California Climate Investments helps build a more equitable and sustainable future.

About the California Energy Commission (CEC):
The California Energy Commission supports the implementation of the SHIFT projects by contributing from its Emerging Opportunities fund for the purchase and installation of supporting infrastructure and workforce development investments. The California Energy Commission is the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency. It has seven core responsibilities: advancing state energy policy, encouraging energy efficiency, certifying power plants, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, and preparing for energy emergencies.