Drones for all purposes

Generally speaking, drones can be divided into ’multicopters’ and fixed-wing aircraft. Both types are clearly related to the ’big’ manned aircraft: multicopters move through the air like helicopters thanks to their horizontally spinning rotors,while fixed-wing aircraft fly like aeroplanes.The latter are propelled by vertically spinning propellers and use the lift generated by their wings.

While multicopters can hover at one specific point in the air or fly extremely slowly, fixed-wing aircraft are better suited to fast flights and long distances. Increasingly, hybrid systems combining both types are being used. VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) models take off vertically like a small helicopter, but then fly like fixed-wing aircraft.

Keeping track of the many models in the world of multicopters is straightforwardas their names are based on the number of rotors. Bicopters and tricopters with two or three rotor systems are rareowing to the fact thatthey are difficult to control and not particularly powerful. The commercial drone market is currently dominated by multicopters with four, six or eight rotors. These quadcopters, hexacopters, and octocopters offer stable flight behaviour, can be precisely positioned and, depending on their size and power, can carry heavy loads. Their reliability and flight behaviour makes them ideally suited to autonomous, remotely controlled operations.

The commercial drone market is currently dominated by multicopters with four, six or eight rotors. These quadcopters, hexacopters, and octocopters offer stable flight behaviour, can be precisely positioned and, depending on their size and power, can carry heavy loads. Their reliability and flight behaviour makes them ideally suited to autonomous, remotely controlled operations.

Versatile multicopters van follow defined routes, with virtually limitless options for route design. Their speed is as variable as their altitude. They can hover, fly complex routes around tall structures like cranes, transport loads from A to B and gather information using sensors or cameras.

Thanks to their design, fixed-wing aircraft are limited to specific applications – albeit applications at which they excel. They are capable of covering long distances, and fly more quickly than multicopters. Their high payload capacity makes them ideal for transport and logistical tasks that require them to move loads from A to B quickly and directly. They can also be used for surveillance over large areas.

Since purely fixed-wing aircraftrequire long runways for take-off and landing, hybrids are coming to dominate the market. With their vertically aligned rotors, hybrids can take off and land from one place; for regular flying, the rotors are either moved into a horizontal position or a rotor mounted in a fixed horizontal position takes over propulsion. The wings then provide the lift.

In the professional sector, many drones are already autonomous; they are essentially flying robots. Wheeled, floating and even diving robots perform operations on the ground as well as special operations on and in the water. On land, transport tasks are often handled by mobile robots – both remote-controlled and autonomous. In the water, they are currently used on or below the surface primarily for exploration purposes, for example in research and the offshore industry. In view of the trend towards autonomous watercraft, mobile robots will soon be able to handle transport tasks on and below water as well.