Colugo Systems ARC 500

Colugo Systems
Yavne, Israel
www.colugo-sys.com

Colugo Systems was founded around 2015 in Israel. The company’s first aircraft was a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV autonomous vehicle included a wing for better range. The UAV was also designed to fly well in windy conditions.

In May 2020, Colugo posted a picture of a two passenger hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft concept design and posted the estimated flight duration of this aircraft to be 90 minutes.

The aircraft has tandem seating for two passengers, a full dome shaped canopy for excellent views, wings for a longer range, skid type landing gear, four propellers for vertical takeoff and landing, and one pusher propeller for forward flight. The wing also tilts for increased efficiency during vertical take off and landing, a characteristic named Adjusted Wing Technology (AWT). In April 2021 it was reported that Colugo systems had created and successfully tested a drone that utilized the AWT system, and that the system had performed up to the expectations of the company when tested on their UAV.

Based on the design of their previous UAV aircraft, this aircraft might a fully autonomous aircraft for use with Urban Air Mobility (UAM). No name was given for this aircraft on their LinkedIn post but their previous UAVs are named ARcopter 1000 and ARcopter 3000. Could the name of this UAM aircraft be the ARcopter 5000?

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-Electric VTOL
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Duration: 90 minutes (estimated)
• Propellers: 5 (4 for vertical lift, 1 for forward flight)
• Electric motors: 5
• Wing: Mid-wing and also tilts for more efficient vertical take off and landing
• Canopy: Dome shaped for excellent views
• Landing gear: Skids
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or 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. Can land like a plane in an emergency.

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• MarketWatch
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Colugo website
• Colugo Facebook
• Colugo Vimeo
• Colugo LinkedIn
• Video: Colugo Systems, Colugo Systems, (no date listed on video)
• Video: Colugo’s Arcopter 1000, Amit Regev, Dec. 1, 2017
• Article: Winners Announced in Counter-Terrorism Startup Competition, CalTech, June 18, 2018
• Article: Colugo developing passenger air vehicle with foldable, wind-adaptable wings, Urban Air Mobility News, April 29, 2021