Kollmorgen explains how optimized motor selection can help Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft achieve longer flight times, greater range and reliable performance in demanding aerospace and defense applications.
As Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) continue to transform military, commercial and civil aviation, aircraft designers face increasing pressure to maximize efficiency while maintaining precise and dependable control. Flight-control surfaces, payload systems, sensors and tracking equipment all rely on motors capable of delivering high torque and speed within tightly confined spaces, without adding unnecessary weight.
Kollmorgen’s motion technologies are designed to help UAVs remain airborne longer and travel farther through energy-efficient operation and optimized motion performance. The company’s motors are engineered to support lighter, more aerodynamic aircraft designs while maintaining reliable operation in challenging environmental conditions, including extremes of temperature, vibration and shock encountered during flight.
Drawing on more than 100 years of motion expertise and over 70 years serving the aerospace and defense industry, Kollmorgen develops purpose-built motion solutions for unmanned air, ground, surface and underwater vehicles, as well as eVTOL aircraft. Its housed and frameless motor technologies are engineered to meet the size, weight, power density and environmental requirements of each application.
For UAV applications, Kollmorgen motion systems support a wide range of mission-critical operations including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), border security, disaster response, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid. The company’s frameless motors are designed to provide precise positioning for flight-control surfaces, tracking systems, sensors and payload actuators in demanding UAV environments.
Kollmorgen’s motion systems also provide smooth, responsive and coordinated movement for Electro-Optical and Infrared (EO/IR) payload systems. These visualization systems are widely used for situational awareness, traffic and crowd monitoring, missing-person searches and other airborne sensing applications, where stable and precise motion is essential even when aircraft encounter turbulent atmospheres.
Read ‘Extending UAV Flight Time and Distance Through Optimized Motor Selection’ here >>
The company also supports the rapidly developing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector. eVTOL aircraft require multiple lightweight, highly specialized motors to orient propulsion systems and control flight surfaces efficiently. Kollmorgen’s AKM servo motor series delivers high power density in compact form factors, including low-voltage windings suited to battery-operated applications. The Kollmorgen family of motors include more than 500,000 standard products alongside collaboratively engineered modifications designed to meet specific eVTOL requirements without compromising aircraft aerodynamic design.
To support long-term aerospace programs, Kollmorgen manufactures specialized motors at its AS9100-certified facility in Radford, Virginia, backed by lean manufacturing processes and industry-leading quality programs designed to ensure reliable production and supply continuity throughout the life of each aircraft platform.
