Tyto Robotics receives $400k grant from CRIAQ

Gatineau-based aerospace company, Tyto Robotics, announced it has received a $400,000 investment from the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ) to develop test equipment for large propulsion systems.

According to the company, a major barrier to adoption of eVTOL propulsion is the limited aircraft flight time, caused in part by limited battery capacity and unoptimized propulsion systems. Another is the uncertainty surrounding the powertrain components that prevent mid-air failure.

The goal of the project, the company says, is to develop test equipment that can be used by manufacturers in the heavy-lift cargo drone and eVTOL vehicle industries to test their propulsion systems and find the most efficient combination of motors, propellers and electronics.

The R&D portion of the project will be conducted in collaboration with Mejzlik Propellers of Czechia and l’Université de Sherbrooke of Quebec.

Tyto Robotics will design a thrust stand capable of testing motors for large cargo drones and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, up to 500 kgf of thrust and 320 kW of power.

In partnership, Tyto Robotics and Mejzlik Propellers will perform tests on powertrain components used on eVTOL aircraft to study how factors like motor Kv, voltage and propeller finish affect overall performance and reliability.

Concurrently, the team at l’Université of Sherbrooke will design an AI model capable of predicting a propulsion system’s performance based on machine learning from data generated by the physical tests.
www.tytorobotics.com
www.mejzlik.eu