Autoflight F240 Hot Wheels

F240 Hot Wheels
Autoflight 
Shanghai, China
www.autoflight.com  

Mr. Tian Yu founded Autoflight in 2016 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. Autoflight is an aviation technology company specialized in the research and development of autonomous flight and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology and aircraft manufacturing. Autoflight has set up research and development facilities in Munich, Germany and in Shenzhen, China, and has several manufacturing facilities across China. Mr. Tian Yu is also the founder of Yuneec, the predecessor of Autoflight, which was a world leader in consumer drones and the manufacturer of the e-Spyder single-seat electric ultralight and E430 two-seat electric ultralight which first flew in June 2009. 

The company has designed, manufactured and tested a firefighting eVTOL multicopter, named the F240, which can carry up to 100 kg (220 lbs) fire retardant in four separate containers. The multicopter can identify where the fire is located, fly to the fire, hover over the fire, drop the fire retardant directly on the fire and put out the fire. The firefighting multicopter can quickly fly to difficult to reach areas, extinguish the flames and keep firefighters safe from the dangers of fire in the process. 

The F240 is equipped with intelligent airborne systems controls and has an automatic flight function which is capable of automatically planning routes, flying automatically to the location of a fire and back, avoiding grounded objects or terrain, and navigating through windy conditions. The firefighting multicopter can be used for both urban and wild fires. 

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL firefighting multicopter
• Piloting: Autonomous 
• Capacity: No passengers, hold 4 firefighting fire bombs (fire retardent)
• Payload: 100 kg (220 lbs)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 320 kg (705 lbs)
• Electric propellers: 8 propellers, 4 point upwards, 4 pointing downwards.
• Airframe: Carbon fiber composite 
• Landing gear: Skid type landing gear
• Safety Features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. 

Resources:

• Autoflight website   
• Autoflight Twitter   
• Autoflight LinkedIn   
• Article: Observe and destroy one Fengfei aviation solution to help smart fire protection upgrade, Autoflight, Aug. 6, 2020