A tilt rotor drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that combines the vertical take-off and landing capabilities of a helicopter with the forward flight capabilities of a fixed wing aircraft.
Tilt-rotor drones are therefore capable of covering long distances efficiently without the need for a runway for take-off and landing.
Ptero Dynamics X-P6 Heavy-lift tilt-rotor drone
Vertical to Forward Flight Transition of Tilt-Rotor Drones
Commonly referred to as hybrid VTOL drones, tilt-rotor drones typically feature rotating motor and rotor assemblies to transition between vertical and forward flight. During take-off and landing the rotors point upwards, allowing the system to fly vertically and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, the rotors are tilted horizontally to transition into forward flight.
Applications for Tilt-rotor Drones
Tilt-rotor drones are highly versatile systems, well-suited to a variety of applications including surveillance, reconnaissance, cargo transport and other tasks that require the aircraft to cover long distances efficiently with the flexibility to take-off and land in tight spaces.