Flowcopter, a Scottish company, claims to have created the world’s first hydraulic drone. The drone, which has a flight time of up to six hours, is powered by pumps and gas engines rather than batteries and electric motors.
According to the company, the drone is significantly lighter, faster, less expensive, and can cover a greater distance than any other drone currently on the market.
According to Gizmodo, the majority of drones today use electric motors or hybrid gas propellers with an electric-powered lift system.
Electric motors are easier to navigate with; however, controlling large objects with such motors becomes increasingly difficult, such as drones with four or more propellers that require regular adjustments for wind, direction, and gravity.
Electric motors also necessitate the use of batteries, which degrade in capacity over time.
To address this issue, Flowcopter experimented with a new strategy of using hydraulic motors to power drones.
Flowcopter employs a new type of hydraulic pump known as a Digital Displacement Pump, which is highly effective and features improved control of independent motors, allowing for simple altitude adjustments.
The pump’s most important feature is its superior power-to-weight ratio when compared to the best electric motors on the market.
The pump powers a liquid fuel-powered “light-aircraft certified engine” with a 20x energy-to-weight ratio that outperforms the best battery technology available.
The Digital Displacement Pump, in conjunction with the engine, controls the hydraulic fluid, aiding in the stability of the drone and allowing it to travel long distances with ease.
Each hydraulic motor has a horsepower rating of 129 and weighs less than 5.4kg.
According to the company, the drone can easily operate for 6 hours without refueling, covering distances of nearly 900km while carrying weights of up to 150kg.
During the 6-hour flight, the drone can even switch to a non-gliding mode, allowing the propellers to rest and reducing fuel consumption.
According to Flowcopter, the drone will primarily be used for short-distance delivery. However, if necessary, the drone can be outfitted with a camera set up to cover greater distances.
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