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
If there is a backup battery capable of carrying the load then the copter would probably survive an urgent RTL or LAND command.. If no battery then it will have about the same flight time as the average house brick. As its described as a hybrid then it should have a battery!
The Genesys is a low power device not intended to use the entire power from the motor to convert to electricity, it was only supplying a few amps at most..
If you apply any alternator to a motor it will generate AC voltage and this can be rectified easily to provide a DC source for your ESC. it does not need to be heavy, 4 x 60amp diodes works well. The trick is to get the correct size alternator to match the power and speed from the motor. its not about volts its about power.
but then you need to convert 40 VAC or so to DC Voltage, that's another big weighty unit? is there a way around it?
This is great work.
http://www.sullivanproducts.com/GenesysCustomMainFrame.htm
Larger Custom Generators
Over a certain wattage size, we build Pancake Alternators. They are very efficient, simple, reliable (only one moving part, a ball bearing) and powerful for their size and weight. We design and fabricate these to the customers' specific engine, RPM, wattage and regulated voltage(s) requirements. We have built these from 30 watts to 1000 watts. They utilize Neodymium magnets for high energy densities.
Some examples are:
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.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 5 Next