Public Funding for Flowcopter LTD.

Distributed propulsion systems offer huge benefits to the field of Aerospace by allowing radically different aircraft architectures. This in turn allows significantly more fuel efficient designs, reduced emissions, lower costs, improved vehicle control and enables VTOL designs. The proposed architecture is based on the novel patented Digital Displacement pump technology, offering the ability to efficiently and accurately control multiple rotors from a single power source without the need of multiple connected drive shafts or significantly heavier electric motors and controllers. Flowcopter has already demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed system in a first VTOL demonstrator. In this demonstration, a 400 kg UAV was operated with up to 95 kg payload in tethered flight. The control bandwidth and efficiency of the transmission was verified. The benefits Digital Displacement transmissions offer over electric alternatives are lighter weight, more robust components, all at an equivalent efficiency. The motors are used for rock crushers, and salt-spray spreaders making them very suitable for harsh maritime environments. As part of this program, Flowcopter and Queen Mary University of London will further advance this promising distributed transmission technology. The focus of this work will be: **Weight reduction**, the current transmission components have been designed for use in the mobile hydraulic market and while they are already lighter, compared to equivalent electric systems, there is a large potential for further weight reductions through the use of advanced materials. **Multiple redundancy** similar to existing engine control systems in aerospace engines an inherent dual redundant control system will be developed to pave the way for later certification. **Hybrid drive system** a parallel electric hybrid drive will be developed and demonstrated. This system will be able to provide power for short periods of time in case of primary engine failure, allowing for a controlled emergency landing. This first system size is intended for heavy-lift drone applications with a take-off weight <400kg and will be demonstrated in such. Future applications of this technology could also be the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market and helicopter tail rotors. As a VTOL attitude controlled demonstration its control requirements are the most demanding of distributed propulsion architectures.

The development of a low cost, certifiable, heavy lift cargo UAV for humanitarian operations. Humanitarian operations typically rely on helicopters to deliver aid when time is of the essence and road access is limited. Flooding, landslides, earthquakes, fire and war can all make road access impossible or very difficult to traverse with urgently needed supplies. To bridge this access gap helicopters are used to move supplies from staging areas sometimes airports, or the last easily accessible road point to where aid is needed. The need to use helicopters adds significantly to supply costs and puts human lives at risk. Developing an uncrewed drone solution to perform this aerial delivery to hard to reach locations will reduce the risk to human crews. However, unless the cost of operating such UAVs/drones is significantly lower than that of a helicopter per payload-distance economics will prevent their widespread adoption. Developing and demonstrating the capabilities of a low cost cargo UAV/drone to fulfil this need at a lower cost than that of a helicopter will be a game changer for distribution of aid, vaccines and medical supplies, search and rescue and support for remote areas. This project is a consortium of Flowcopter, Modini, Edinburgh University and AYR Logistics With Flowcopter in the role of drone manufacturer Modini providing support for certification and flight trials Edinburgh University modelling and optimising airframe design AYR Logistics as a registered vendor to Aid Agencies and Governments for the provision of humanitarian aviation operations, including UN, UNICEF & World Food Programme providing voice of the customer, specifications and CONOPS (concept of operations)