3 ms·

Why are they showing only quadcopter drones on images? AFAIK for long distance flights you need winged drones, which are much more efficient... You should of co

by tomp 8y ago

Why are they showing only quadcopter drones on images? AFAIK for long distance flights you need winged drones, which are much more efficient... You should of course adapt them so they can take off & land vertically, like Google's Project Wing.

sandworm101 8y ago
Because fixed wings require either landing/takeoff strips, or complex systems to transition between two modes of flight. Quadcopters, with their only four moving parts, are a simpler option. If the capacity/range is there, why not go with the easiest to maintain? It's not like they are paying for fuel.
- icebraining 8y ago
  What about speed? It's pretty important to keep it moving, otherwise you limit the number of deliveries you can do.
- schiffern 8y ago
  > Because fixed wings require either landing/takeoff strips, or complex systems to transition between two modes of flight For small planes you don't need a full strip. You can use launch accelerator ramps and capture harnesses for a very small footprint, ala Zipline. https://www.cnet.com/pictures/take-a-look-at-ziplines-new-drone-delivery-system/ https://www.cnet.com/pictures/take-a-look-at-ziplines-new-dr...
  - sandworm101 8y ago
    Such systems require someone trained at the receiving end. A quad can land and take off without much, if any, human interaction needed. That can matter if you perhaps want to drop something at a location where there might not even be any people waiting to receive it. (In SAR scenarios helos often drop supplies in fields even though those who need them are hours away.) Needing any physical landing/takeoff equipment at the destination also means that you can only deliver to prepared routes. So you couldn't do rapid response to remote locations. Physical equipment can also be damaged in disasters(hurricanes) after which air transport is most needed.
    - apendleton 8y ago
      Zipline's landing system is totally automated, so I don't think it needs anyone specially trained, but it does need equipment to land. They don't land at the receiving end, though, they drop the package via parachute, with a claimed accuracy of within two parking spaces. So, the origin point (where the packages come from) is fixed, by they can do arbitrary destinations so the routes aren't fixed.
- walrus01 8y ago
  If you read the article, one of the proposed solutions is a craft that is basically the drone version of a V-22 Osprey. Tilt rotors. Probably not as efficient in terms of battery Wh consumed per km of flight (with a given payload) compared to the Zipline drones, which are dedicated-purpose fixed wing aircraft. But considerably more efficient for cross-country flight than a pure VTOL design drone.
michaelbuckbee 8y ago
The article specifically mentions that they are getting bids from WingCopter (which flips between VTOL and fixed) and includes a link to their brochure: http://www.wingcopter.com/brochures/WINGCOPTER%20178%20GEO.pdf http://www.wingcopter.com/brochures/WINGCOPTER%20178%20GEO.p...

by tomp 8y ago

sandworm101 8y ago

Because fixed wings require either landing/takeoff strips, or complex systems to transition between two modes of flight. Quadcopters, with their only four moving parts, are a simpler option. If the capacity/range is there, why not go with the easiest to maintain? It's not like they are paying for fuel.

icebraining 8y ago
What about speed? It's pretty important to keep it moving, otherwise you limit the number of deliveries you can do.
schiffern 8y ago
> Because fixed wings require either landing/takeoff strips, or complex systems to transition between two modes of flight For small planes you don't need a full strip. You can use launch accelerator ramps and capture harnesses for a very small footprint, ala Zipline. https://www.cnet.com/pictures/take-a-look-at-ziplines-new-drone-delivery-system/ https://www.cnet.com/pictures/take-a-look-at-ziplines-new-dr...
- sandworm101 8y ago
  Such systems require someone trained at the receiving end. A quad can land and take off without much, if any, human interaction needed. That can matter if you perhaps want to drop something at a location where there might not even be any people waiting to receive it. (In SAR scenarios helos often drop supplies in fields even though those who need them are hours away.) Needing any physical landing/takeoff equipment at the destination also means that you can only deliver to prepared routes. So you couldn't do rapid response to remote locations. Physical equipment can also be damaged in disasters(hurricanes) after which air transport is most needed.
  - apendleton 8y ago
    Zipline's landing system is totally automated, so I don't think it needs anyone specially trained, but it does need equipment to land. They don't land at the receiving end, though, they drop the package via parachute, with a claimed accuracy of within two parking spaces. So, the origin point (where the packages come from) is fixed, by they can do arbitrary destinations so the routes aren't fixed.
walrus01 8y ago
If you read the article, one of the proposed solutions is a craft that is basically the drone version of a V-22 Osprey. Tilt rotors. Probably not as efficient in terms of battery Wh consumed per km of flight (with a given payload) compared to the Zipline drones, which are dedicated-purpose fixed wing aircraft. But considerably more efficient for cross-country flight than a pure VTOL design drone.

michaelbuckbee 8y ago

The article specifically mentions that they are getting bids from WingCopter (which flips between VTOL and fixed) and includes a link to their brochure: http://www.wingcopter.com/brochures/WINGCOPTER%20178%20GEO.pdf http://www.wingcopter.com/brochures/WINGCOPTER%20178%20GEO.p...