Featured The MarketGatineau-based aerospace company Tyto Robotics received a significant investment from theConsortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ) in order to developtest equipment for large propulsion systems. The $400,000 investment will fund the R&D portionof the project, which they are completing in collaboration with Mejzlik Propellers of Czechia andl’Université de Sherbrooke of Quebec.The full title of the project, “Research and development of an electrical propulsion system,including a reliable propeller, a thrust stand, and an AI model to analyze performance data, forheavy-duty cargo UAVs or eVTOL”, outlines the scope of the work to be done.Tyto Robotics will design a thrust stand capable of testing motors for large cargo drones andelectric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, up to 500 kgf of thrust and 320 kW ofpower.Together, Tyto Robotics and Mejzlik Propellers will perform tests on powertrain componentsused on eVTOL to study how factors like motor Kv, voltage, and propeller finish affect overallperformance and reliability.Concurrently, the team at l’Université of Sherbrooke will design an AI model capable ofpredicting a propulsion system’s performance based on machine learning from data generatedby the physical tests.The goal of the project is to develop test equipment that can be used by manufacturers in theheavy-lift cargo drone and eVTOL industries. One of the major barriers to the widespreadadoption of eVTOL as a mode of transportation is the low flight time of aircraft, caused in part bylimited battery capacity and unoptimized propulsion systems. Another barrier is the uncertaintysurrounding reliability, as one of the key factors required to make eVTOL commercially viable isto have reliable powertrain components that prevent mid-air failure.The test equipment developed during this project will allow eVTOL manufacturers to test theirpropulsion systems and find the most efficient combination of motors, propellers andelectronics. This will get them one step closer to having a commercially available solution in theair.
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