The “Aero Bowing”, A vertical detachable Fixed-Wing Drone with a built-in LTE Communication Module, succeeded in long-distance delivery of emergency relief supplies for the first time in Japan
Aerosense Co., Ltd’ “Aero Bowing” is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) with a built-in LTE communication module. Using a certain “Aerobo Wing”, the company succeeded in a demonstration experiment to deliver medicines as emergency relief supplies over a long distance. This demonstration experiment utilizes the LTE network of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. making it the first drone with a built-in LTE communication module to make a round trip of 20 km. This is an initiative to realize long-distance point-to-point delivery.
[FEATURES OF AERO BOWING]
Generally, drones control by wireless communication in the 2.4 GHz band, but the range of radio waves is short and it is not suitable for long-distance logistics applications. On the other hand, Aero Bowing, which has the features of a maximum speed of 100 km / h and a maximum cruising range of 50 km, has a built-in LTE communication module, which enables long-distance logistics by remote control outside the visual field without restrictions on the wireless communication distance from the delivery base.
Features of Aerobo Wing
- A maximum speed of 100km / h, a maximum cruising range of 50km, and a wide area of 100ha can be flown in one shot.
- Built-in LTE communication module, no restrictions on wireless communication distance from delivery base.
- Stable transportation with vertical detachable fixed wings.
[OUTLINE OF DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENT]
This demonstration experiment utilizes NTT DoCoMo’s LTE network. Specifically, assuming a disaster, the operator at the delivery base remotely controls the aero bowing with the built-in LTE communication module, delivers the drug to the destination about 10 km away from the delivery base, and the same operator again. We succeeded in returning the aircraft to the delivery base by remote control.
With the built-in LTE communication module for the first time as a vertical take-off fixed-wing drone (VTOL), Aero Bowing will be able to deliver images taken by the camera in addition to controlling the aircraft. In the future, in addition to urgent drug delivery, we will consider contributing to prompt disaster recovery support, such as grasping the disaster situation.
<Details of demonstration experiment>
- About flight
–A non-visual flight that makes a one-way 10km round trip from the disaster prevention center (delivery base) in Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido to the destination-
Aero Bow Wing autonomously flies over the Chitose River and arrives at the destination in about 10 minutes-In
flight Safety confirmation uses both images sent from the Aero Bowing camera and monitoring by an assistant-The
operator performs remote control from the delivery base, and the return flight is also carried out from takeoff to landing.
- Loads used in the experiment and items to check
–A thin glass ampoule (sealed container for injection) is installed inside the Aero Bowing aircraft-
Verification including damage due to vibration and temperature change is carried out to confirm the transportation quality-
Stable out -of-sight by LTE communication Check flight and transport safety.
