VTOL
A hybrid fixed-wing UAV with vertical take-off and landing for inexpensive, reliable autonomous flight.
VTOL is a hybrid fixed-wing UAV designed for inexpensive and reliable autonomous flight with vertical take-off and landing capability. The system was developed around open-source flight computer hardware and software, with the goal of reaching practical level-3 autonomy where navigation is autonomous and the pilot remains available as fallback.
Overview
This project explored whether a low-cost VTOL aircraft could still deliver reliable autonomous operation for surveillance and delivery-style missions. The resulting platform combined fixed-wing cruise efficiency with vertical take-off and landing, making it practical for field operation without runway access.
The development effort centered on building a dependable open-hardware, open-software system and validating it through repeated operational testing rather than stopping at a conceptual prototype.
System Highlights
- Hybrid fixed-wing UAV with vertical take-off and landing capability
- Designed for inexpensive, reliable autonomous operation
- Built on open-source flight computer hardware and software
- Targeted level-3 autonomy with pilot fallback