Xponential Europe 2025 | Show report BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) and fully autonomous drone operations. The first of these is weatherproof docking, through which the system prevents short circuits, ensuring safe operation even in rain or dust, unless fully submerged. The second is smart contact detection: to achieve this, current in Skycharge’s docking and hangar systems only flows after a secure physical electrical connection is detected, preventing shorts from emergency landings, wet surfaces, or debris. “We started engineering this system in 2014 under a contract from NASA JPL, in collaboration with a robotics accelerator and the Qualcomm Research Center,” Puiatti recounts. “At the time, our charging platform was flat and assembled from multiple isolated tiles. However, if water splashed onto it, the tiles would short, preventing the system from working. “My father, an engineer, was walking on the streets of Trento when he suddenly realized how the gaps between the cobblestones allowed water to drain, keeping the surface safe to walk on even in the rain. He suggested applying the same principle to our charging platform— by slightly separating and insulating the tiles, water could slide off into channels, eliminating the risk of short circuits and ensuring safe operation in all conditions.” Skycharge’s system hence features airinsulated stainless-steel tiles, dynamically activated based on sensor inputs and power management algorithms to ensure reliable and safe charging in all conditions. The docking system is designed to work with any UAV model, accommodating landing displacements without mechanical components. The charging system supports any battery type (currently 11-52V DC) and dynamically adapts to different power requirements. “Many of our clients operate fleets with different UAV types. Rather than requiring multiple incompatible drone boxes, they will have the option to rely on a unified charging solution that supports them all,” Puiatti added. MostaTech has introduced a number of improvements to a range of its FOG-based inertial sensing offerings. The first is a new version of its VG2103S gyro, capable of withstanding 3000 g shocks, whereas previously the highest possible limit was 1200 g. “A customer with a very specific application requested this version of the VG2103S, so we’ve made the new VG2103S-3000 by redesigning the case for increased strength, as well as lightening the components within, which reduced their inertia and hence the force they impart during impact,” says Arthur Tua. “In particular, we decreased the size of the modulator, which was very important as that is the part that tends to fail first, being a piezoceramic ring – it cracks.” MostaTech has also reduced the height of its U123 FOG IMU by about 1 cm by redesigning it such that the shielding is now internal on each gyro and the component configuration is tighter. “The U123 contains three versions of our VG221 FOGs, which we can now manufacture wrapped in shielding for a smaller overall IMU,” Tua adds. “Our newest G321M three-axis FOG has been made smaller than its predecessors, again by introducing new components, optimising internal space within and using some smaller electronics. There’s a lot to be learned by looking at one’s past r&d and looking for opportunities where components can be moved or reduced inside. “The G321 is also equipped with a more advanced, three-channel ADC board, featuring an 8 kHz data rate [compared with previously available 4.8 kHz].” Hirth exhibited its range of engines, including the two most recently updated versions of its 42-Series and 35-Series two-stroke engines. “You can see the spherical fin design we have on the cylinders of the 42 engine, which gives a thorough and even heat dissipation from the kerosene combustions, and the kerosene itself is delivered using our ‘i-power’ pre-chamber approach, where we preheat it in the transfer ports using exhaust gases for good vapourisation and burn,” says Marko Forkert from Hirth. “It then uses a double ignition system for a robust, even spread of combustion. We have been running the 42-Series prototype on test benches for the last year, and we’re now at the phase where we are preparing to send prototype units to pilot customers.” The 42-Series is a 183 cc engine, outputting up to 15 bhp (11 kW) and weighing 6.3 kg, with all ancillaries 103 Uncrewed Systems Technology | April/May 2025 MostaTech’s updated VG2103S-3000 FOGs can withstand three times the shock of the standard VGS2103S
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