Heavy-Lift Drone

The Problem

Large-scale agricultural operations, such as crop spraying and soil analysis, face significant inefficiencies due to equipment limitations and reliance on manual intervention. The goal was to develop a heavy-lift drone capable of autonomous operation in harsh field conditions, requiring a system that could handle massive payloads while maximizing energy efficiency and stability without depending on costly international components.

Technology showcase featured on CNBC News.

The Engineering

I led the R&D team in designing a custom high-power brushless motor driver and an intelligent flight controller from the ground up. We optimized both the hardware architecture and the firmware to handle high-load operations without compromising reliability. The system features advanced autonomous flight logic that adjusts patterns based on real-time external data, ensuring precise application and optimal energy usage.

Initial bench test of the custom motor driver, successfully achieving 120 kgf of thrust at 2000 RPM (350V).

Block diagram of the heavy-lift drone flight-control system
Flight-control system block diagram showing the flight controller, sensors and peripherals, motor controller, motor, and propeller.

The Results

The project revolutionized the drone's capabilities, increasing payload capacity by 30% and significantly improving stability for large UAVs. By developing the technology in-house, we reduced import costs by 80% and eliminated dependence on international suppliers. The resulting Harpia P-71 drone can cover 10,000 acres in 24 hours, reducing operational costs by three times compared to traditional methods.

Harpia P-71 autonomous heavy-lift drone concept
The Harpia P-71 concept, designed for autonomous heavy-lift operations in agricultural environments.