New technologies to improve VTOL and drone deliveries

Transwing UAV climbs out on another logistics mission. (Photo: Ptero)

A brand-new innovation in the world of unmanned aircraft is becoming more rare as the industry matures. However, a Denver, Colorado company has been innovating continuously since 2017, patenting a new approach to vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) for a different, ground-breaking design.

The PteroDynamics’ Transwing UAV is not only autonomous but also uses a folded wing design that enables vertical take-off and virtually seamless transition to horizontal flight — sometimes compared to the simplicity of how a bird unfolds its wings to become airborne.

According to the company, Its unique “transverse, folded wing design” allows an extremely fast change from vertical to horizontal flight without almost any loss of momentum. Then horizontal flight can be rapid, with four powerful electric motor-driven props providing an initial dash speed of up to 100 knots, an economic cruise of 65 knots with the two outer props neatly folded out of the slipstream, and a range of 60 nm. However, endurance is not so hot currently.

Throughout the years, Ptero has carefully protected Transwing technologies by filing many patents — four of which have been granted and 15 are pending — in 11 jurisdictions around the world.

The target applications have been shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship, and ship-to-shore automated cargo transport of essential small packages (up to 15 lb) for fleet sustainment. The U.S. Navy has now contracted to evolve the existing P4 UAV variant to a P5 design carrying 50 lb payloads. This recent development contract is anticipated to result in a fully loaded 350 lb vehicle with around 400 nm range and an enhanced endurance of up to 10 hours, using a hybrid gas/electric power plant.

The U.S. Navy has observed the operation of earlier Transwing versions during several exercises, including an October 2023 demonstration off the deck of USNS Burlington in Key West, Florida. Then again, in June 2024, off the deck of the USS Curtis Wilbur guided-missile destroyer while the ship was at sea around Hawaii. In this latest demonstration, three Transwing vehicles flew 12 autonomous flights, each carrying around 15 lb cargo, with more than 20 knots winds during takeoff and landing. Although labeled as “flying autonomously,” two Transwing aircraft were controlled by one operator. Ptero says that flights from take-off to landing were fully autonomous – so load the route and operational parameters and go – this appears to be how they were flown.

The unique transition mechanism appears to involve cables or rods pulling each wing around a pivot, which seems to have a cog simultaneously traveling along a ramp inside the fuselage end of each wing—effectively moving both wings from a stowed to horizontal position. However, this is just a supposition, as Ptero did not provide details.

Ptero also has big plans for a P7 huge cargo Transwing — 3,600 lb loaded weight, 620 lb payload, 1,000 nm range, and 9 hours endurance.

A fascinating new UAV initiative, which has the potential to not only fulfill the U.S. Navy’s need for essential small package delivery at sea but also fill this need for other friendly navies around the world. Afterward, hopefully, the many thousands (118,928 Merchant Ships) of commercial ships plying the oceans worldwide might want essential package transport. And once the barrier to the commercial market is broken, perhaps many other long-distance transport applications could emerge.

Meanwhile, Amazon is having a few difficulties with drone deliveries in College Station, Texas. Residents have been complaining about noise from drones performing over 600 round trips daily, so Amazon has recently discontinued its drone deliveries.

With an improved propeller design, Amazon claims its new MK30 drone is around half as noisy as before, and the company intends to resume operations when new software changes aimed at improvements to enhance safety are available. The MK30 also has twice the range and is equipped with sense and avoid capability.

The company shared that two drones collided during testing at the Amazon private testing location. Analyzing and correcting this issue has taken a while, but quieter, safer deliveries are expected to resume shortly in Phoenix, Arizona and Texas.

A new VTOL vertical to horizontal UAV transition capability leading to ship-to-shore essential package deliveries is apparently in the early stages, and another few teething troubles for Amazon package deliveries — signs that there is still lots of life in this industry.