Unmanned Systems Technology 014 | Quantum Tron | Radio links and telemetry | Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Protonex fuel cell | Ancillary systems | AUVSI 2017 Show report

31 Quantum Tron | Dossier “We have a one-button system,” Seibel says. “You press the button and it takes off, makes an automatic transition, flies the mission, does the re-transition and goes into a hover at 10 ft.” Quantum still trains people though, especially with the 14 kg version of the Tron. Seibel argues that anyone operating such a big vehicle should learn to use it in manual or semi- automatic mode. He notes however that most accidents have happened in this mode, particularly when the vehicle turns nose-on to the operator and left becomes right. “It is not happening a lot any more, but we had a very steep learning curve in the beginning! It has levelled off, and hardly anything goes wrong now. We took our time, and now we are ready for the market.” Quantum’s ambition though is to use all that experience to develop systems that require almost no training. “I am always telling the guys it is a flying iPhone – you cannot do anything wrong with this,” Seibel says. “That is where we are heading, and that is my goal. I want this thing to be so foolproof that you simply cannot break it.” This, he argues, is essential for professional markets such as precision farming because these customers cannot be treated as hobbyists; rather they need their UAVs to be highly automated data collection tools. “That is something that is hard to explain to the engineers. They ask, why take away that switch? It allows me to do this manually. I say no, you are scaring people! The more switches you have on that transmitter, the fewer systems we will sell.” Given Seibel’s enthusiasm for 5 kg UAVs, it would not be surprising to see a smaller, simpler electric tiltrotor from Quantum for the precision farming and 3D reconstruction markets in the near future. Expect an announcement later this year. Meanwhile, with the 14 kg Tron, Quantum is targeting the security and surveillance sectors, with an eye on future military and particularly naval operations. Quantum is working to modify the Tron for marine use to enable it to operate reliably from ships for long periods. This follows a set of tests carried out aboard a German Federal Coast Guard vessel during 2016, which exposed it to the harsh maritime environment. “Saline conditions are very challenging, so we use only high-grade, gold-plated military-grade connectors, but that process needs some more detailed work,” Seibel says. “We are discussing a marine version with some major players because the Tron performed so well on the ship. That also needs work on an automatic deck landing/finder system; we are cooperating with Airbus on that.” In addition to the Federal Coast Guard, other German government organisations including the police have taken an interest, as have the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), Seibel says, as has large UAV manufacturer EMT, which supplies the Bundeswehr with the Luna and Aladin UAVs. Seibel anticipates some business that, while small by military standards, would mean big money for Quantum, but he insists that the Tron will not be weaponised. So far, Quantum has carried out all its development work without investors or venture capital, and it is in the process of setting up a US subsidiary. It is also looking for investment from some big names in Silicon Valley, and expects to disclose an initial ‘A’ round this year. Unmanned Systems Technology | June/July 2017 The Tron approaches a coast guard vessel during maritime testing. Folded front propellers indicate it is in glide mode, and the wheel is an alternative to the simpler strut landing gear