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Vira Drones M-1000B (concept design)

Vira Drones M-1000B Logistic heavy-lift air cargo hybrid-electric VTOL concept design modular drone

 

M-1000B Logistic (concept design)
Vira Drones
Payerne, Switzerland
www.viradrones.com

Vira Drones was founded in November 2018 by CEO Valeriy Gorshkov and CTO Igor Maslov. The company has offices in both Germany and Switzerland. The company is in the business of making medium-lift and heavy-lift, air cargo and fire-rescue, hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones for advanced air mobility (AAM). On January 26, 2022, Vira Drones was acquired by ILUS International. (Image credit: Vira Drones)

The company is also designing several modular heavy-lift air cargo drones that will connect to each other to form a larger aircraft and these drones will be able to haul heavier and larger-sized payloads. The company's drones are being designed to have a long flight range, a long flight time and be able to fly in most weather conditions.

M-1000B Logistic heavy-lift air cargo hybrid-electric VTOL concept design modular drone
The M-1000B Logistic is a heavy-lift air cargo hybrid-electric VTOL concept design modular drone. The drone is flown using autopilot or has a remote controlled option. The fuselage of the drone is rectangular shape with front and rear openings (no doors), allowing the ease of entry and exit for cargo loads. The front and rear openings are also at an angle providing a sturdier fit when one or more drones are connected to each other. The sides of fuselage have a rectangular opening to make it easy to see the air cargo inside the drones.

The M-1000B has an projected cruise speed between 150 km/h (92 mph) and has projected maximum payload weight of 1,000-3,000 kg (2,205-6,614 lb). The maximum payload weight depends upon the number of M-1000B drones are connected to each other. The company has not stated how many of these drones can fit together to air lift heavy and bulky air cargo. It is important to remember that all concept design aircraft specifications are estimated and can or will change as prototypes and production models are made, tested and flown with real world avionics, components and payloads.

With this modular designed drone, the aircraft can be used as a single drone or it can be connected to one or two other drones that are of the same design. This modular design will allow an increase in payload capacity, flight range or both. However, it is important to remember the avionics and controller needs to be adjusted when a drone becomes a larger drone, to handle the heavier payload weight, handle the larger size of the drone and to have more propellers work in conjunction with each other during flight.

The drone module has been designed with four propellers, four electric motors and has a hybrid-electric power source. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite for a high strength to low weight ratio. The drone lands on the bottom of the carbon fiber composite fuselage. The drone's outer dimensions might be designed to fit inside a 40 foot intermodal shipping container so the drone can be shipped by for an oceangoing cargo ship, semi-trucks or by the railroad. This has not been confirmed by the company as of 2024.

The design for the M-1000B has been optimized for carrying long or oversized air cargo. For example, when connecting two or more of these drones together would allow the drone to carry such as items as long pipes, long structural metal beams, long pieces wood, any long fabricated piece of construction material or any other type of oversized construction material. The width and height of the air cargo objects would be limited to the inside dimensions of the drone's fuselage.

Aerial mission applications
The company foresees their heavy-lift air cargo drones for logistic purposes for missions such as construction, agriculture, ship-to-shore, humanitarian aid and in war zones.

M-1000B Logistic drone progression of loading an oversize payload, the top picture is picture 1. This is picture 2.

M-1000B Logistic drone progression of loading an oversize payload, the top picture is picture 1. This is picture 2.

M-1000B Logistic drone progression of loading an oversize payload, picture 3

M-1000B Logistic drone progression of loading an oversize payload, picture 3

M-1000B Logistic drone progression of loading an oversize payload, picture 4

M-1000B Logistic drone progression of loading an oversize payload, picture 4

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: Heavy-lift hybrid-electric VTOL concept design modular aircraft
  • Piloting: Autopilot or has remote controlled option
  • Capacity: Air cargo only
  • Cruise speed: 150 km/h (92 mph)
  • Maximum payload weight: 1,000-3,000 kg (2,205-6,614 lb)
  • Propellers: 4 propellers (Two modules: 8 propellers. Three modules: 12 propellers.)
  • Electric motors: 4 electric motors (Two modules: 8 electric motors. Three modules: 12 electric motors.)
  • Power source: Hybrid-electric power source
  • Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
  • Landing gear: The drone lands on the bottom of the carbon fiber composite fuselage.
  • Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) means having multiple propellers (or electric ducted fans) and multiple electric motors on an aircraft so if one or more propellers (or electric ducted fans) or some electric motors fail, the other working propellers (or electric ducted fans) and electric motors can safely land the aircraft. DEP provides safety through redundancy for its passengers or cargo. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy for its passengers or cargo. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure.

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