TEL AVIV, Israel — AIR in Pardes Hanna-Karkur, Israel, is integrating Elmo Motion Control motor drives into its heavy-lift uncrewed cargo aircraft to control the eight electric motors that power the vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) platform.
The aircraft can carry up to 550 pounds and fly for one hour. AIR plans to use Elmo's Gold HV motor drives as part of the electric propulsion system, with an air-cooled design that eliminates the need for a separate liquid-cooling system. The companies say this approach can reduce the system's weight and complexity.
Related: Saildrone unveils Spectre uncrewed surface vessel for ASW and multi-mission naval operations
Motor drives regulate the electric propulsion system
Elmo's drives sit between the aircraft's electrical power source and its propulsion system, regulating the voltage and current delivered as power demands change. That control is particularly important for a VTOL aircraft that relies on multiple propulsion units during takeoff, maneuvering and landing. AIR's cargo UAS uses eight electric motors.
Elmo says its Gold and Platinum HV servo drives use a master-slave configuration that supplies 210 amps at 805 volts to each motor.
Air cooling eliminates a liquid-cooling loop
Controlling large amounts of electrical power also generates heat in the power electronics. Engineers have to move that heat away from the drives to keep components within their operating temperature limits.
One option is liquid cooling, which circulates coolant through the system to carry heat toward a heat exchanger. Pumps, tubing and other supporting hardware, however, add weight and take up space aboard the aircraft.
AIR and Elmo instead plan to operate the drives with air cooling. The companies say eliminating the liquid-cooling hardware reduces system complexity and leaves more of the aircraft's available weight for payload.
AIR targets cargo and logistics missions
The U.S. Department of Defense categorizes AIR's aircraft as a Group 4 UAS. The company is developing the platform for defense, commercial and humanitarian logistics, with potential missions that include mid-mile delivery, maritime resupply and rapid aid deployment.
AIR says customers have ordered and paid for more than 25 Cargo Heavy Lift UAS to date. The Elmo agreement follows another recent supplier partnership with Dynon Avionics.
