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

75 example, the maximum laser pulse repetition rate has been more than doubled and is now 1.2 MHz instead of 550 kHz. “We’ve kept the same shape and size, the same weight and power consumption as before. The increased performance was achieved through optimisation processes of the available hardware and the corresponding internal factory calibration procedures.” Overall, the VUX-1UAV22 with cooling fan device weighs 3.75 kg, measures 227 x 209 x 129 mm, and consumes 60 W during normal operations. Point cloud measurements are accurate to within 10 mm, and precision of repeatability is achieved to within 5 mm. CycloTech displayed a new kind of propulsion solution based on the Voith- Schneider propeller concept. The company’s CycloRotors use a plethora of wing blades that rotate about a central axis, held within a hub that itself rotates. Placing the hub off-centre from the rotation axis causes a periodic change of the angle of attack of each aerofoil during one revolution, accelerating the airflow and producing thrust. “We are bringing the Voith-Schneider design from its proven marine application in ships into aviation, as the system features a unique 360 º thrust vectoring capability,” Klemens Hofreither told us. “The magnitude and direction of thrust can be altered dynamically and almost instantly in any direction about the rotor plane. “Our patented solution is very compact, and combines lift and forward thrust in a single propulsion unit. The aircraft is controlled precisely, solely by the CycloRotors, and does not need additional wings or ailerons. “Although the system is scalable, the current CycloRotor model has a span of 42 cm and a diameter of 35 cm, weighs 10.5 kg including drivetrain and suspension, and produces up to 253 N of thrust.” Further improvements are therefore expected as it progresses through flight trials with an 83 kg demonstrator UAV platform operating on four CycloRotors. XSun presented its SolarXOne UAV system, a platform intended for flying a range of mission-specific sensors at accessible prices. SolarXOne uses its four solar-panelled wings to recharge a battery pack during a mission. It has a 5 m wingspan, and offers a 12 hour endurance and a 5 kg payload capacity, with a 25 kg MTOW. Jonathan Marks from XSun’s exclusive UK distributor the Candy Group said, “XSun’s owner Benjamin David wants to achieve sustainable aviation, so he has created a unique, high-performance UAV platform for professional mapping and challenging long-range surveillance missions. With its scalable design, there is the potential to augment the size of the SolarXOne in the future.” The aircraft is already fitted with components certified to DO-178B DAL-B. It is typically equipped with a gyro- stabilised gimbal for ISR missions and professional cameras, and Lidar for aerial surveys. It can cruise at altitudes from 100 to 4000 m, and is inaudible from the ground at 200 m. It produces zero emissions and has a potential flight range of more than 600 km. Tyto Robotics displayed its newest propeller testing rig, the Flight Stand 15, so named for its ability to measure up to 15 kgf of thrust, as well as up to 8 Nm of torque. “It allows you to test a range of brushless DC motors and propellers to identify the most efficient combination for propulsion in the powertrain you’re looking to design,” said Joffrey Ferry. “We have a number of different test stands, for powertrains producing from 5 to 75 kgf of thrust. Most of our clients are UAV manufacturers, but some propeller and motor manufacturers use our systems too, including Xoar, T-Motor and Mejzlik.” The rigs are designed for real-time, dynamic testing, with the Flight Stand 15 sampling test data at up to 1 kHz, and timing accurate to 5 µs. Operating input limits for the stand include voltages of up to 180 V, currents up to 150 A and propeller speeds up to 30,000 rpm. Unmanned Systems Technology | December/January 2022 Riegl’s VUX-1UAV22 Lidar is the same size as its predecessor but is more powerful