Flowcopter begins testing the world’s first multicopter with hydraulic motors

To date, the load capacity of multicopters still leaves much to be desired due to the limited power of electric and gasoline internal combustion engines. The Flowcopter company (Edinburgh) has found an original solution to this problem by installing aircraft internal combustion engines on the drone in conjunction with digital hydraulic pumps.

With their help, you can adjust the hydraulic flow between several engines, instantly reacting to digital control commands, which is very important for balancing a flying UAV. The power of each such engine is almost 130 hp with a weight of 5.5 kg and a price of less than $ 1,000.

Even with a more significant weight, the internal combustion engine looks much preferable to an electric motor due to more useful energy per kilogram of mass. One refueled gas tank will be enough for 900 km or 6 hours of flight with a load of 150 kg.

So far, Flowcopter can “boast” only a basic prototype based on a welded metal frame, making the first uncertain “steps” into the sky. But even this can be considered a great achievement of designers and engineers — after all, he is the first in the world.