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Malloy Aeronautics T150 (production aircraft)

TRV-150

 

T150 (production aircraft)
Malloy Aeronautics Ltd
Berkshire, United Kingdom
www.malloyaeronautics.com

In 2012, Chris Malloy, engineer and helicopter pilot, founded Malloy Aeronautics and is based near London, England. The company is in the business of making electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cargo autonomous aircraft for private, commercial, government and military use. All of Malloy Aeronautics aircraft are built to military standards allowing private, commercial, government and military clients have the same quality vehicle for their logistics needs. SURVICE Engineering is the reseller of their drones in the United States.

For some history, it was in 2006 that Chris Malloy designed and tested his aircraft, a hoverbike, called Hoverbike P1. The Hoverbike P1 had a motorcycle styled seating arrangement, handle bars, two propellers, was powered with an internal combustion engine and used mechanical gears to rotate the two propellers. The Hoverbike P1's designed was inspired by the Chinook helicopter. Malloy's next prototype was a one passenger eVTOL aircraft called the Hoverbike P2 with four propellers and was all electric. Both of these aircraft were prototypes and are no longer in use.

It has been said by the military that the most important part of military operations is logistics: The resupplying of food and water, parts, equipment, fuel, ammunition to soldiers and anything else they need. The US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) compares eVTOL cargo drones to an "Amazon on the battlefield" and knows that transporting supplies during wartime is dangerous work and is working to reduce the risk of danger to logistics personnel and to reduce the amount of time transporting cargo to the battlefield. With an autonomous eVTOL cargo drone, the US Army foresees with a single request, that soldiers could have needed supplies flown in by air during the day or night, in all weather conditions and no logistics personnel would be harmed by enemy fire.

The US Army recognizes the limitations of current battery technology and knows in the future that batteries will hold more energy which will increase the payload weight, speed and range of eVTOL cargo drones. In addition, the US Army's long term goal is to develop wireless recharging so that eVTOL aircraft can be charged while flying to their destination.

T150/TRV150 uncrewed eVTOL air cargo drone
The T150/TRV150 is a remote-controlled (or autonomous) uncrewed eVTOL air cargo drone capable of delivering food, water, goods, medical supplies, clothing, parts, equipment, fuel, weapons, ammunition and almost anything that troops would need on the battlefield. TRV means Tactical Resupply Vehicle. The cruise speed of the aircraft is 108 km/h (67 mph), has a maximum range of 70 km (43 miles) and has a flight time of 36 minutes. The maximum payload of the aircraft is 68 kg (150 lb).

The drone has eight propellers, eight electric motors and its power source is batteries. The batteries are easily removed and replaced to make it possible for quick turnaround times. The drone has fixed skid landing gear keeping the drone easy to use and as least complex as possible. The aircraft has redundant avionics for safety and durability.

Delivering cargo to troops on the battlefield by truck or helicopter is dangerous work because military personnel can come under attack during a cargo resupply missions. The TRV150 ensures that no one is at risk when the cargo drone is flying to and from the battlefield. The drone can fly during the day or night allowing any equipment to be delivered at any time on the battle front. A laptop is used to control the flight and the remote pilot can set waypoints for autonomous delivery. The TRV150 can land and allow people to unload the cargo or the cargo can be dropped while in flight. The T150 has been successfully tested in all weather conditions such as rain, gusty wind conditions, the desert and in the snow at the arctic circle.

The propeller booms and the landing gear of the drone can be folded into a compact size and the entire aircraft fits neatly into a medium-size protective case that can be carried by one person. The small size of the case makes it easy to store and to transport the drone by ground or aircraft. The military calls these cargo drones the Joint Tactical Aerial Resupply Vehicle (JTARV).

The T150 won 1st Place at the 2019 PMA-263 Tactical Resupply UAS Challenge sponsored by the United States Department of Defense. The T150 was also featured at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) campaign in 2020.

T80/TRV80 uncrewed eVTOL air cargo drone production aircraft
Malloy Aeronautics has also made the T80 uncrewed light eVTOL air cargo drone production aircraft. The cruise speed is 90 km/h (56 mph), its range is range 55+ km (34+ m) and has a maximum payload of 30 kg (66 lb).

On April 14, 2023, it was reported that Malloy Aeronautics and SURVICE Engineering were awarded a production contract with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps to produce nearly two hundred Tactical Resupply Vehicle (TRV) air cargo drones. This contract is the result of the Malloy Aerotauntics-SURVICE Engineering team taking first place in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System (TRUAS) fly-off competition at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona (USA) in 2019.

Malloy Aeronautics is continuing to design and build eVTOL cargo aircraft for private, commercial and military use.

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: eVTOL air cargo drone
  • Piloting: Remote and autonomous (using a laptop setting waypoints for autonomous deliveries)
  • Capacity: Cargo only
  • Cruise speed: 108 km/h (67 mph)
  • Maximum range: 70 km (43 miles)
  • Flight time: 36 minutes
  • Maximum payload: 68 kg (150 lb)
  • Propellers: 8 propellers
  • Electric Motors: 8 electric motors
  • Power source: Changeable batteries
  • Landing gear: Fixed skid type landing gear
  • 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. The aircraft has redundant avionics for safety and durability.

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