The world’s first “tandem” UAV was presented in China
China demonstrated the first of its kind tandem drone with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL system), which, thanks to this design, has enhanced stability during wind gusts and can do without a runway.
This was reported by the Global Times portal.
An innovative global tandem vertical takeoff and landing UAV with a flying wing is presented in Shenzhen at the 25th China High-Tech Fair (CHTF). The new type of drone was independently developed and manufactured by researchers from the Changchun Institute of Optics, Precision Mechanics and Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The researchers have mastered the entire technological chain, including the driving system, sensor data fusion, flight control system, and control algorithms. According to the report, the researchers have reached several performance limits for drones, such as operating at temperatures as low as -40 C, flying at 5,500 meters, and taking off and landing in strong winds.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese aviation expert, told the Global Times that China has also developed drones with vertical takeoff and landing with a single wing, and compared to the traditional single wing design, this new tandem flying wing design can provide greater stability when operating in flight in strong crosswinds. According to Fu, although the tandem wing configuration has lower aerodynamic efficiency than the equivalent traditional single-wing configuration, the benefits it provides are more significant in this case.
The UAV mainly uses new energy lithium batteries as a power source, and its rotor provides lift during vertical takeoff and horizontal thrust after the transition to horizontal flight. It also provides the UAV with excellent payload and endurance. The total weight is about 50 kilograms when fully loaded, the carrying capacity is about 17-18 kilograms, and the battery life is up to four hours.
