Issue 41 Unmanned Systems Technology December/January 2022 PteroDynamics X-P4 l Sense & avoid l 4Front Robotics Cricket l Autonomous transport l NWFC-1500 fuel cell l DroneX report l OceanScout I Composites I DSEI 2021 report

34 Dossier | PteroDynamics X-P4 elements such as the wing hinge are machined from 6061-series aluminium, and 3D-printed SLS materials are used throughout the aircraft. The company works with a few partners for airframe manufacturing. Whitehand explains that for the X-P4, the fuselage and nacelles are manufactured by Composites Universal Group in Oregon, US, which was chosen for its exceptional track record on numerous manned and unmanned aviation projects and its adaptable and pragmatic approach to aircraft manufacturing. X-P4 fuselages and nacelles are manufactured using traditional vacuum bag open-mould methods using out- of-autoclave (or ‘out-of-oven’) resin systems. The wings and tails are manufactured by Ultimate Composites in Queensland, Australia, which has an innovative clamshell moulding process using pre-preg carbon and a proprietary foam-moulding process to produce wing structures with a high specific strength. “We involved our manufacturing partners early in the design process of the X-P4, giving them the opportunity to steer the design according to their wisdom and experience,” Whitehand says. The materials and methods used to manufacture the X-P4 are currently geared towards low-volume, labour- intensive methods to allow rapid in- process changes. “As the X-P4 matures though, the manufacturing methods will evolve to high-volume, low cycle time processes,” Whitehand says. “The foundation for those has already been baked into the X-P4’s design.” Future plans PteroDynamics is pressing on with the final r&d phases for its US Navy customer, with specialised test stands being completed for cycling the X-P4’s subsystems individually to the required standards. As indicated, future models for navies and elsewhere might use a range of technologies, and the company is expanding its capabilities to that end, having moved its headquarters for r&d and production to Colorado Springs at the end of July 2021. “We’re in ongoing discussions with two very large US defence primes about teaming opportunities,” Graczyk adds. “We’re now doing feasibility studies into a 12,000-plus lb MTOW Transwing craft, a 5000 kg version, and another with a 250 kg payload to support those opportunities. We are also in further talks for a range of cargo and intelligence operations across the US Department of Defense, and a project solicitation from a large international defence prime. “More recently, we’ve been contacted by one of the largest commercial shipping companies in the world, which is looking for something largely identical to the X-P4 for maritime logistics.” December/January 2022 | Unmanned Systems Technology The X-P4’s wings come from Ultimate Composites, the nacelles from Composite Universal Group The company is continuing its r&d into different subsystems and larger versions of its UAVs, for defence as well as other uses