GPS World

Tag: VTOL UAV

  • VTOL UAV tackles difficult Sichuan survey

    VTOL UAV tackles difficult Sichuan survey

    The P330 takes off. (Photo: CHC Navigation)
    The P330 takes off. (Photo: CHC Navigation)

    The CHCNAV P330 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV has been deployed to complete orthophoto acquisition with a resolution of 15–20 centimeters of the city of Xichang in the Sichuan Province, China. The project involved a series of technical and operating challenges: several no-fly zones, a 700-meter flight ceiling by airspace control, tricky winds, and a total area of 900 square kilometers — all within a tight schedule.

    The project involved 15 people, a fleet of four P330s and the set up of 200 ground control points.

    The hybrid P330 was selected for its ability to combine the advantages of a fixed-wing UAV with extended flight time with a rotor-based VTOL UAV, which enables aerial survey missions on complex terrain.

    Project area. (Photo: CHC Navigation)
    Project area. (Photo: CHC Navigation)

    Each P330s was fitted with a Sony A7R2 camera and high-accuracy GNSS positioning system. Because of its innovative design, the P330 can be assembled in less than five minutes without tools, saving the survey crew considerable time. Plus, basic operation training was completed in 2 hours.

    The P330 also has one-click take-off and landing, support for breakpoint flight resuming after temporary return to base, and self-diagnostic of all sensors before take off. It has dual-rotor and parachute protection in case of emergency landing.

    Other features include take-off and landing positioning accuracy within 20 centimeters and automatic return to base in case of a data communication failure. It offers survey-grade PPK accuracy.

    The P330’s battery life lasts up to 2.5 hours. It will operate safely under Class 5 wind conditions at an altitude up to 4,000 meters, providing stable attitude under bad weather conditions. It also meets imaging constraints under low-light conditions.

  • High-endurance VTOL UAV the aim of GE, Hybrid Project

    GE Aviation and Hybrid Project team to provide commercial high-endurance vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV, with Auterion and GE Aviation providing comprehensive integration of ground, cloud and airborne components

    GE Aviation has teamed with Hybrid Project to provide a VTOL UAV designed for high-endurance commercial applications at scale. Flight testing is underway, with commercial availability targeted for the first quarter of 2020.

    The agreement enables Hybrid Project’s 35-pound hybrid-powered SuperVolo VTOL UAV with a full stack airborne computing hardware platform, flight and safety management, and integration from GE Aviation and Auterion.

    GE Aviation’s computing platform enables flight control and airborne computing power at the edge while maintaining an independent and authoritative safety controller. Auterion’s Enterprise PX4 operating system resides on the vehicle, in the cloud, and the ground station.

    The integration is the result of an agreement announced earlier this year between GE Aviation and Auterion to provide all-in-one hardware and software platform for commercial drones.

    “The combination of Hybrid Project’s SuperVolo airframe, GE Aviation’s computing platform, and Auterion’s software stack enables an all-in-one solution that readily scales for commercial applications,” said Matt Vacanti, product leader, Avionics Systems for GE Aviation. “A highly integrated system is critical to achieving scalable commercial UAV operations.”

    Hybrid Project’s SuperVolo has been designed from the ground up with an emphasis on endurance flight, ease of maintenance, and modularity. The combined system is comprised of technologies and services which have the capability to enable commercial operations in complex environments while meeting regulatory and mission outcomes.

    “This collaboration, and the combined solution, will increase commercial operator flexibility, efficiency, and overall performance to a level not previously available in its class,” said Ryan Pope, co-founder of Hybrid Project.

    Auterion’s Enterprise PX4 software is built on top of open software standards that are supported by a global developer community. Auterion’s enterprise software also provides the infrastructure enabling online workflows, compliance monitoring, and enterprise fleet management. “With Auterion software, the Hybrid Project SuperVolo flies farther, safer, and more efficiently, unlocking new BVLOS capabilities and missions that were previously not possible before commercial drones of this class were available,” said Kevin Sartori, co-founder of Auterion.