Since the creation of vertical lift consumer-grade drone, it has gotten from the usual four-rotor setup to, well, many rotors. Then, Edgar Herrera challenged the convention by dialing back the number rotors to three and now, there is a drone that pitches the idea of just two rotors.
While we are not sure if Edgar Herrera’s bold design will ever take off, this new kind of drone, from the same outfit that brought to you the flying piece of slat, will most certainly take to the skies.
Folks, this is the V-Coptr Falcon Imaging Drone by Zero Zero Robotics and it is a bi-copter. Mind you, though, this is not a tandem rotor aircraft, nor is it a coaxial helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft embraces. This is the drone you and I are familiar with, but two rotors less.
As the name suggests, the rotors unfold into a V-pattern that reminisces that of future crafts we saw so many times in so many sci-fi movies. With the world’s first v-shaped bi-copter at hand, Zero Zero Robotics boldly claimed the end of the quad-rotor era. Whether or not the industry will follow suit remains to be seen.
Whatever it is, I am digging the uber futuristic look and the tilting rotors that reminds us that of the military’s V-22 Osprey – except that V-Coptr Falcon’s rotors tilt just enough for its purpose and not all out horizontal for forward flight.
The bi-copter further features “proprietary stealth mode propellers” for a quieter flight, but just how quiet it is, we do not know. Then again, logically speaking, it should be significantly quieter since it has only two rotors.
At the heart of the twin-rotor unmanned imaging drone is a SNPE neural network engine that, presumably work in tandem with sensors and whatnot, enables it to be aware of the environment regardless of how complex the surrounding might be and thus, achieving quick obstacle avoidance.
At the chin is a 3-axis gimbal with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor camera capable of recording up to 4k/30fps videos and 12 MP stills. Zero Zero Robotics claimed that V-Coptr Falcon is able to make HD transmission as far as 7 kilometers (4.35 miles) and it has a battery could afford up to 50 minutes of flight time.
Zero Zero Robotics is currently taking pre-orders for the V-Coptr Falcon Imaging Drone and let me tell you this, it does not come cheap. It will set you back at $999 and a deposit of $100 is required when putting in your order. Shipping is expected to happen sometime in February 2020.
Images: Zero Zero Robotics.
Source: Yanko Design.
