DeltaQuad has introduced the Evo-LE, a long-endurance electric fixed-wing Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) platform offering flight times of up to eight hours.
The new platform has been developed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR), border surveillance and communications relay missions. Drawing on feedback from frontline operators and lessons from thousands of operational flight hours, it is intended to support persistent aerial intelligence across large and remote areas, including contested environments, without dependence on runway infrastructure.
Evo-LE has a maximum take-off weight of 13 kg and can carry payloads weighing up to 1.5 kg. Depending on payload configuration, mission profile and operating conditions, flight range can reach 480 km, while radio range extends to 120 km. The platform carries an IP54 environmental rating and is specified for ambient temperatures from -20°C to +45°C.
A dual-battery configuration is combined with a redesigned electrical architecture and an upgraded VTOL drivetrain to support the platform’s longer endurance.
Mark van Schie, Head of Product at DeltaQuad, said, “Achieving this level of endurance required changes across the platform, not simply increasing battery capacity. The redesign combines higher-energy-density battery technology with a dual-battery configuration, a redesigned electrical architecture and an upgraded VTOL drivetrain. The result is a platform engineered specifically for longer missions and demanding field conditions.”
For operations in complex environments, Evo-LE can be configured with anti-jamming, secure communications and autonomous navigation options. Its VTOL capability enables deployment from confined spaces, while automatic landing gear provides an unobstructed 360-degree field of view during mission execution.
The aircraft uses DeltaQuad’s Block 3 airframe, which is shared with the current Evo platform. The ruggedised design incorporates redesigned composites, improved ingress protection and rain performance, a heated pitot tube, and regulatory-compliant navigation and anti-collision lighting.
Its landing legs have also been redesigned to detach in the event of a hard landing, helping to protect the airframe.
Ross Jackson, Chief Commercial Officer at DeltaQuad, commented, “Endurance changes what is possible in a mission. More flight time over an area of interest provides operators with greater continuity in the information they receive and reduces the need to rotate systems during a mission. Evo-LE gives defence and security organisations a practical way to extend aerial intelligence missions while retaining the deployment flexibility of electric VTOL.”
The Evo and Evo-LE are configured for different priorities. The current Evo can use either single- or dual-battery configurations and is configured for maximum payload flexibility, while Evo-LE uses a dual-battery arrangement and is optimised for missions where endurance is the primary requirement.
Evo-LE is available to order now, with DeltaQuad providing operator training, field support and lifecycle services.
