This is the crazy project that kept us busy lately at Quaternium: a hybrid electric+gas multirotor with range extender, inspired by Hybrid cars, such as BMWi3.
Our goal is to overcome the endurance limitations of an electric multicopter, while keeping the multirotor platform we are so enthusiastic about. This VTOL UAV has 2.5 hr estimated flight time with payload, and around 4 hours endurance otherwise.
These are the product specs:
HYBRIX 20
MTOW | 20.0 KG |
EMPTY WEIGHT | 11.3 KG |
PAYLOAD | 7.0 KG |
ENDURANCE (FULL LOAD) | 1.4 HR |
ENDURANCE (NO PAYLOAD) | 2.7 HR |
CRUISE SPEED | 80 KM/HR |
SIZE (MOTOR TO MOTOR) | 1350 MM |
Why are we working on this?
As you all know, the drone market is only starting. We believe there will be many more industrial applications emerging soon. With this new project, we seek to go beyond current technology limits and explore new possibilities of application.
What do you think about it? I’d love to hear your comments on this!
jlcortex
Comments
Gran trabajo Jose Luis.
With its pros and cons, you have at least opened a new way to increase flight time.
Hope you get soon to the 2 hours flight time.
regards
Just an interesting comparison based on these numbers, so my helicopter is about 2.86 kg/m2 disk loading, which a quad with 30" props and 11.3kg is 6.27 kg/m2. More than twice the disk loading which has to effect the efficiency.
Mark, where did you get the power output of the G26, I haven't found that? The G29 is rated at 2000W, and the G32 is 2400W. However, these numbers are without a tuned pipe. There's one image on the website which shows what appears to be a tuned pipe, but the video does not.
Looks like all the different winds of the U10-plus are around 10g/W in the 5kg thrust range. So around 2000W to hover. Factoring in inefficiency in the generator, it seems it would max out the G32.
I dunno, the numbers actually look plausible to me. The only thing I'm skeptical of is the fuel burn rate. I have an 800 gasser heli with a G29, coincidentally with 2.4L of fuel on board. And I think it's good for about 1.5-2 hours flying time with no payload. I have trouble believing the total efficiency of this thing is higher. The Heli's empty weight is only about 7.27kg, which does demonstrate the relative weight of the two different systems. The heli has 2.54 m2 disk area. Assuming this has 30" props, has 1.8m2. Actually, that's not terrible. Given the increased efficiency of fixed pitch props vs. the helicopter blades, traded off against the extra lifting area of the heli...
Again, it all looks pretty plausible to me. (except the fuel burn rate I'm skeptical is accurate).
If the total system reliability is good, it looks like a pretty interesting system.
@Bart Theys, I think people love multirotors and i think multirotors have advantages over helicopters, for example this concept could be full redundant if we make a coaxial setup, if have 2 power sources. And multirotors are simpler mechanically, not big diameter rotor, easy to repair...
@Hugues, It have a small battery, it is a series-hybrid or extended range.
Very nice solution! Although wouldn't it be even more efficient to use a conventional helicopter that runs on a fuel engine? This saves the weight of the electric system and the losses in the generator and electric system.
So is there a particular reason to use the multiple rotors?
If I understand the description right, this does not make use of any batteries, just a gas engine producing direct dc current. This this in no way an hybrid vtol. It is simply a gas powered quadcopter.
I believe more in the real hybrid solutions as already shown with fuell cells and using hydrogen. This has achieved the longest REAL flight time so far in the industry.
if you want people to get on board, don't make misleading claims. Your video says 2.5h.
I find this concept really interesting, but now i'm not going to listen to a single further post on this project.
Nice!
Hybrids do work if you do it properly and know what you're doing. ;-)
Now it just needs a pusher prop for forwards flight to get the cruise speed up and even better range.
What's the expected retail if it goes on sale?
@rob it looks like the engine's output is around 1.62 Kw according to this page the u10 plus 80kv at 14s produces 5.5kg of lift just about right and draws 555w so a frame total of 2220w so not enough to power it all on it's own seems you would need at least a G29 or above to get enough power just to hover
Excellent design ! If you don't mind, what is the specs of the DC generator being operated by the engine ?
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