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MX Series

Gas-powered drone for power line inspection

Entire Solution

Integrated tools for a purpose for which they were intended

Fast turnaround

Ever wondered why a lumberjack doesn’t use an electric chainsaw?

1 - 3h endurance

Long range is possible by the on-board gasoline generator

Turnkey solution with integrated payload

Our vision is to maximize safety while providing good flight times at reasonable costs

Built around the payload

If it is necessary to determine the volume of vegetation, a 3D scanning system is essential

Flight planning and operations

A compact solution that fits into a standard car. Otherwise, the drone’s advantages over manned aircraft are lost due to the high operating costs of a large ground station

Ten years of experience

This is the machine we built after gaining thousands of kilometers of inspection experience. We decided to go back to the drawing board and start over 3 times to be honest. Fixed wing, electric multirotor and helicopter-type drones are not economically viable for flights requiring 5-8 m/s ground speed – that’s exactly what line inspection needs

Live 3D scanning for after-storm inspection

The in-house developed payload enables real-time post-storm monitoring even at night. The algorithm builds the map using a powerful on-board computer. Thanks to the optimized pointcloud, it is possible to stream data over a low bandwidth mobile network or via direct datalink

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Live image transmission

Geotagged photos can be uploaded to the server directly from the drone. That enables the transfer of processed data to the customer even before the copter lands using the Hepta Airborne’s Smart power line inspection suite. The integrated system also speeds up regular inspections

Maiden flight in June 2022

The first flight was successful thanks to extensive preliminary tests in both simulated and test stand environments

GE70 Hybrid UAV generator

“Generating 4,000W of hybrid power for the most demanding UAV applications. Larger UAVs pushing the 25kg limit can be easily powered using the GE70. Self-starting and fully self-regulating, this power unit is the perfect complement to high-end UAV platforms that want to push the industry’s limits.” – Pegasus Aeronautics

Aluminum in the drone world

Aluminum as a material is homogeneous and has predictable parameters. After 10 years of using carbon fiber on different platforms, we got back to our roots. In addition to simplifying design and manufacturing, it is also much better for the environment as it is recyclable

Frequently Asked Questions

How much payload?

The MX8 drone is optimized for a 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) custom payload system. Since the machine has a hybrid power source that uses fuel and backup batteries, it is easy to balance the machine to carry up to 5 kilograms (11 pounds) without making it nose heavy.

What is maximum range?

Flight range largely depends on payload mass, flight speed and weather conditions. The machine is designed to perform 27 km (15 nm) aerial scanning in one flight comfortably and reliably regardless of terrain conditions or which way the wind is blowing. The theoretical maximum flight range to achieve this is well over a hundred kilometers (60+ nm).

What's included?

It is intended as a turnkey solution. Flaperon OÜ is a spin-off from the power line inspection company Hepta Group Airborne. Our systems are designed for inspection of power lines and are integrated with Hepta uBird software for data analysis. Of course, we can also help with third-party payload conversions upon request.

Is it legal?

Yes, since our drone has a three-stage safety system built into it:

1. Redundant X8 propulsion system – first of all, it is important not to get into a situation that requires use of safety procedures
2. In the unlikely event of a gasoline generator failure, power input will be switched to the reserve batteries and the drone will automatically land within 5 minutes at the nearest pre-defined safety area
3. In the event of a major malfunction in the air, a flight termination system (FTS) and a ballistic parachute are triggered

In EU you can operate under specific category following specific operation risk assessment (SORA), described well in EASA guidance document.

Can I get a datasheet?

Download Spec Sheet from here. Please contact us for more information.

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