Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL)

Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL) is a leading manufacturer of custom fuel bladder and fluid containment solutions for UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Created with cutting-edge design and materials, our bespoke offerings are ultra-lightweight and enhance the performance of unmanned aircraft in both military and civilian applications.

The materials we use meet and exceed the necessary strengths required to pass stringent EASA ETSO (European Technical Standard Order) standards, as well as various EASA Certification Specification regulations. We have also introduced a novel aviation material that meets the EASA’s rigorous standards for flexible fuel and oil cell materials, and is ideal for advanced UAV applications requiring the safety standards of manned aviation, such as flight over urban and populated areas.

With over 30 years’ experience serving the unmanned systems industry, we have worked with a range of high-profile clients including NASA, DARPA, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, and Lockheed Martin.

World-leading fuel bladder design & fabrication

Thanks to our state-of-the-art facilities, we can bring to life custom UAV fuel bladder designs of any shape and size, working with you to meet your exact requirements. To ensure the utmost control over quality, we perform a wide variety of functions in-house, including:

Lightweight UAV bladders and tanks for all fuels and liquids

We can create ultra-light flexible fuel bladders with virtually any size and geometry that can withstand the highly demanding conditions experienced by UAVs, including extremes of shock, vibration and landing impact. Featuring thin walls for optimal fuel capacity and performance, our creations can operate at altitudes of up to 60,000 feet and withstand temperatures from -50 to 95^oC (-60 to 200^oF).

Other key properties and capabilities include:

• Safety foam baffling for anti-slosh and explosion mitigation
• Fully collapsible for easy installation and removal
• Low fuel diffusion rate to meet or exceed MIL-DTL-6396F
• Long life and low or no maintenance requirements

In addition to lightweight and self-sealing flexible bladders, our advanced manufacturing capabilities also extend to the creation of polymer, carbon fiber and aluminium rigid tanks and containment vessels.

Our drone and UAV fuel tanks and containment solutions can be made resistant to a wide range of fuels:

• Aviation Fuels: Avgas, Mogas, JP4, 5, 8, 10; Jet A, B; Kerosene
• Standard Fuels: Bio-Ethanol E10, Diesel, Bio-Diesel, Bio-Butanol B10 and Bio-Jet
• Specialist Rocket & Missile Fuels: hydrogen peroxide, hydrazine, Otto Fuel II, HAN fuel, JP-7, methanol, nitromethane, propane, butane

Custom Product Gallery

For examples of custom UAV fuel bladder solutions that we have designed and manufactured for clients around the world, view the product gallery below. Many of our bespoke products have been adopted as standard by our customers across their entire UAV range.