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CargoCopter, a spin-off from the University of Leuven in Belgium, has developed prototypes of a new series of high-speed VTOL transition-capable UAVs for autonomous parcel deliveries (writes Rory Jackson). The company currently has four distinct designs of quadcopter, differentiated from each other by their payload capacity and the trade-off between speed and range. Each one takes off vertically before arcing into horizontal flight. To achieve that transition, the team uses a Pixhawk autopilot plus its own additional code. “We tried to mix multi-rotor UAS control schemes with those of fixed-wing UAVs,” said Dr Bart Theys at CargoCopter. “We mainly extended the controller of the multicopter, which now takes into account lift and drag, and use position control of a fixed-wing platform at high speeds.” The flight transition does not rely on any moving parts other than the built-in motors and propellers. Towards the UAVs’ 100 kph (60 mph) speed limit, however, control was found to be challenging, given the absence of ailerons or elevons. To achieve sufficient high-speed flight control, the company opted for motors with higher voltage, and propellers with higher pitch than those typically used in multi-rotor platforms. The wing shape was designed in-house to suit the aircraft’s operating requirements, with CFD and wind tunnel tests used to arrive at the tailless airfoil designs – with the shapes of the prototypes further examined and optimised following test flights. To construct the prototypes, additive manufacturing machines at Leuven were used for extruding polylactic acid (PLA). “We are now experimenting with stronger materials however, as we are preparing a demonstration in Dubai, given that in ambient temperatures of 50 C, PLA is at risk of melting,” said Theys. Transition to auto delivery Airborne vehicles 3D printing has allowed the development of a range of transition UAVs designed to handle different cargo loads (Courtesy of CargoCopter)