#HTE

Delft Designers Create New Form Factor for Drones

The members of Delft University of Technology’s MAV-Lab (“MAV” stands for Micro Air Vehicle) have created a drone with a rather unusual form factor. The Delftacopter, as they’re calling it, can take off and land vertically, hovering like a regular quadrotor, but can also switch to airplane-like forward flight. While we’ve seen designs that can do this before, Delft’s creation is the first to opt for a bi-wing design:

I love that it’s pure form-follows-function, yet has such an unexpected execution. And no, it’s not a toy; it was designed to compete in Australia’s Outback Medical Challenge, a competition seeking UAVs that can assist with medical and rescue applications:

Intriguingly, the Delftacopter features an Iridium satellite link. It can technically be flown, then, from any place on Earth.