Quaternium, in conjunction with electronic fuel injection (EFI) developer Löweheiser, has achieved a flight time of 10 hours 14 minutes with the company’s hybrid fuel-electric multirotor HYBRiX drone. According to Quaternium, this flight time represents a new record.
An experimental version of HYBRiX drone was used for the flight, equipped with a full tank of 16 liters and Löweheiser’s compact fuel injection system specifically optimized for UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). The flight began at 08:20 and the drone landed at 18:34, after 10 hours and 14 minutes in the air.
Löweheiser’s EFI system enhanced both the reliability and the flight time of the drone, allowing it to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The small size of the system allowed it to be integrated onto the drone without sacrificing performance. A team from Löweheiser monitored the engine parameters constantly during the 10-hour mission, providing HYBRiX operators with essential data that allowed them to optimize the performance of the engine.
Multicopters provide a number of advantages for many aerial applications, but their lack of endurance often limits their suitability for commercial missions. The HYBRiX technology platform overcomes this primary limitation, and makes the drone ideal for surveillance, first responder missions, and more.
Alicia Fuentes, CEO at Quaternium, commented: “We are convinced that the cooperation with Löweheiser is a unique opportunity to develop new capabilities and meet our ambitious goals for 2021. This collaboration is going great and we are confident that it is going to be really beneficial for both sides.”
Watch a video about the flight below:
Find manufacturers of engines and propulsion systems for unmanned vehicles >>
