Zachary Adams, a fighter pilot with a PhD in mechanical engineering, has developed a cyclorotor hybrid drone and started a new company to bring it to market.
It turns out that the most dangerous job in the world is not flying Strike Eagles for the Air Force, Adams said. It’s climbing towers and bridges for inspection. … We thought drones would replace some of this work, but today’s drones are just not capable of performing the precise tasks that humans currently do.
Unlike traditional propellers, cyclorotors are tall cylinders that spin at the top of the craft.
Most drones tilt and lean in order to move, which makes it difficult for them to perform precise tasks, Adams said. Adding a cyclorotor allows the vehicle to stay level, while moving quickly and precisely in any direction. This enables the drone to perform precise tasks in dangerous or precarious situations.
With support from Purdue Foundry, the startup incubator affiliated with Purdue University, Zach started Pitch Aeronautics with some of his Air Force colleagues.
The new drone is named Astria, after the Greek goddess of precision. Zach’s patented cyclorotor, positioned in the middle of the six traditional motors, allows the vehicle to make precise movements while staying level, even in windy conditions.
