Leveraging expertise in flight control algorithms and INDI-based flight control, the Fusion Reflex flight controller by Fusion Engineering is enhancing the safety and reliability of drone flight. Marwan Hussein sat down with UST to discuss the next-generation of unmanned flight controllers.
How can Fusion Engineering’s cutting-edge flight controller Fusion Reflex take multirotor operations to the next level?
We realize many manufacturers already use pre-existing flight control solutions in the market, so we focused on making it easy for the technical teams working on the drone to swap it, integrate it, and calibrate it to their specific platform as hassle-free as possible – we understand that this is probably the least favorite thing that a drone manufacturer wants to do but they have to do it correctly nonetheless, so we lift that burden off their shoulders and spare them from countless hours of adaptations.
With that taken care of, the operator can then focus on really leveraging the benefits of our secret sauce, i.e. the control algorithms that we’ve implemented specifically for commercial drone flight. This will allow users to more confidently explore new applications with their platforms and make them part of their normal operations, multiplying the improvements that drones already bring in terms of cost savings, time efficiency, and resource allocation, to name a few.
What sets Fusion Reflex apart from other drone flight controllers – specifically thinking about Fusion Reflex’s advanced state estimation technology, and INDI based flight control
For the operators, our focus was to give them as much peace of mind as possible, and we did that by focusing on our core technology that makes the Fusion Reflex really stand out, and that is the control algorithms and everything underneath that supports them.
By successfully implementing INDI (Incremental Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion), we essentially enable the operator to do their job more confidently knowing that their drone will fly as reliably as possible in any sort of weather conditions, which is particularly useful in situations that a drone would theoretically already be most effective in – fast-response rescue operations in bad weather, high altitude wind turbine blade inspections, reliable medical delivery in storms – you name it.
If we also look at the bigger picture, we were adamant on implementing INDI with Rust in the Reflex, not only because of the inherent stability and reliability it gives, but mainly to help drone manufacturers achieve higher levels of flight safety certification with their platforms – we are in an age where the benefits of drones are really starting to be realized and thus structured regulations are being put in place to make sure they are being employed responsibly and safely, so we are making sure that we include this element into our flight controller for when the time comes.
Can you tell us more about your Early Access package for select clients?
After nearly five years of development, we are ready to present the industry with a solution that will redefine the way performance, safety, and redundancy are multiplied through the core of any drone platform. Although we have done all the testing we need to back-up our claims, it is now time for us to go the final mile alongside a select number of equally-minded companies that thrive on innovation.
Enter the Early Access program; It is a roughly 6-month long phase through which a handful of companies we will be working alongside, will be able to test the Reflex at their own pace and according to their operational standards. All the companies will have dedicated access to an online portal where they will be able to seamlessly interact with us, upload their findings, and promptly receive our support when needed. However, our aim is not to stop there; we are also open to teaming up with them and addressing commercial challenges jointly wherever possible.
As for the package itself, each company will be receiving four Reflexes at a significantly discounted rate as well as a number of other included features to keep them flying throughout the Early Access phase. Additional benefits are also included which are aimed at accelerating their growth for the following 3 years:
Priority for additional support- First to know about new products
- Bigger discounts than regular customers for larger batch orders
- Discounts on additional support
- Discounts on newly released products
Do you have any real-world use-cases you can share with our readers?
To date we have successfully performed a number of pilot projects with several companies, most have been on an experimental basis to test the functionality of the Reflex on various different platforms. Nonetheless, our engineers spend most of their time in the wind tunnel and in the field flying our test drones in all sorts of unconventional conditions to really push the flight controller to the edge.
In one of our demonstration flights with a partner of ours, one of the motors on their hexacopter failed unexpectedly, which the Reflex was able to handle without any issues and bring the platform back to safety intact. Luckily for us, these are the exact kinds of scenarios we replicate and always prepare for during testing, which is why we are able to advocate for our flight controller so strongly.
What does Fusion Engineering have planned for the future?
Our sights are currently fixated on getting the Early Access program off the ground; this will allow us to get a hands-off approach on polishing the final details of the Reflex and see how it resonates with our future customers. From there, we will be making the necessary tweaks and additions to make their experience that much better and get them flying on a larger scale soon after.
With that said, we have a second follow-up phase of the Early Access that will focus more on fleet and larger scale operations – a beta phase. Adopting a similar approach to the previous phase, it will help us understand how we can improve the interconnectivity of the Reflexes to each other as well as the wider U-Space network to maximize a user’s experience with multiple drones flying missions at the same time. This ties in well with our plan to also start incorporating our own Ground Control Software in these operations, which has been in development in the background for a few months now.
Once we have the beta phase of the Early Access rolling, we will slowly begin introducing the Reflex to the masses sometime in the second half of 2024. With a larger team, we will also be able to tackle more projects on multiple fronts, namely the development of the Reflex for VTOL drones, downscaling the Reflex for simpler applications, and start laying out the plans for upscaling it for maritime and heavier operations.
All in all, the upcoming phase will see Fusion maturing into a global player in the field of flight control and we are very excited to finally be able to show off our hard work from the last few years. We always make sure to include our customers in our development so you should definitely keep an eye on our socials to see how you can get involved and benefit in return!
