360° Thrust Vectoring System
Through more than 10 years of intense research at CycloTech, a new aviation propulsion system was developed based on the cyclogyro principle. These CycloRotors are 360° thrust vector systems based on the same physical principle known as well as the Voith-Schneider-Propeller, successfully applied since decades for highly agile and stable ships in the maritime industry.
CycloTech is taking this technology into the air to offer a competitive alternative to the existing propulsion systems. The company has so far successfully developed five generations of CycloRotors. The latest version was showcased in 2021 when CycloTech presented a flying demonstrator, solely propelled by CycloRotors. Key feature of CycloRotors is the ability to instantaneously direct the thrust vector in a full circle of 360 degree, whereas all other propulsion systems pull or push basically into one direction. Thus, CycloRotors offer unique new capabilities to the worldwide emerging unmanned air vehicle (UAV) and urban air mobility (UAM) markets of the 21st century. It gives vehicle manufacturers unprecedented freedom in designing and operating VTOL aircrafts and drones.
360° Propulsion
A Cyclogyro Rotor is a propulsion unit which can change the magnitude and direction of thrust without the need of tilting any aircraft structures. It contains several parallel blades rotating around a central rotation axis. The thrust is generated by a combined airflow through the rotor originating from each blade and its periodic change of the pitch angle during one rotation. The individual pitch angle of the blades is controlled by a certain pitch mechanism. Usually, each blade is mechanically connected to a central hub with a conrod. The Cyclogyro-Rotor magnitude of thrust and its direction can be directly controlled by the eccentric positioning of this hub. This enables an easy and fast way of thrust-vector control of the propulsion unit.
CycloRotors are thrust-vector-systems that enable an immediate thrust generation 360° around the rotation axis – at constant rotation speed and direction – within fractions of a second.
Unique Characteristics of CycloRotors
360° THRUST VECTORING
Easy transition hover to forward flight
Superior manoeuvrability and gust control
Decoupling of flight path and vehicle attitude
COMPACT DESIGN
Small footprint
CONFINED AREAS
CROWDED AIRSPACE
ADVERSE WEATHER
ADDED SAFETY
AGILITY
COMFORT
Unique Characteristics of CycloRotors
360° THRUST VECTORING
Easy transition
hover to forward flight
Superior manoeuvrability
and gust control
Decoupling of flight path
and vehicle attitude
COMPACT DESIGN
Small footprint
CONFINED AREAS
CROWDED AIRSPACE
ADVERSE WEATHER
ADDED SAFETY
AGILITY
COMFORT
Rotor Performance
Rotor Performance
ROTOR DEVELOPMENT
The major challenge of using the Cyclogyro rotor technology is its radical new approach as an aircraft propulsion unit. This requires an extreme lightweight construction in combination with smart design which demands new concepts, advanced composite material and innovative manufacturing methods. The key is to understand, describe and control the underlying physics and its effects of a CycloRotor.
CycloTech has built up an highly automated toolchain with CFD-simulation, multi-body-dynamics calculation models, FE-simulations and further optimization tools to continuously improve the performance of the CycloRotors. These were verified on test benches, in wind tunnels and in flight. More than 100% performance increase has been realised within the last 3 years and there is still plenty of optimization potential – the technology is just about the beginning of its maturity curve.
CycloRotor CR-42*
The current rotor design with a one-sided mounting offers an easy connection to any aircraft structure via a simple suspension system. CR42 is a fully electric CycloRotor with an electric motor and a gearbox as a drivetrain. The core of the agility is the patented mechanical configuration and control system.
| spanwidth [mm] | 420 |
| max. thrust [N] | 253 |
| thrust/weight ratio [-] | 2,4 |
| rotation [rpm] | 3.100 |
| weight [kg]** | 10,5 |
| spanwidth [mm] | 420 |
| max. thrust [N] | 253 |
| thrust/weight ratio [-] | 2,4 |
| rotation [rpm] | 3.100 |
| weight [kg]** | 10,5 |
*in operation in our technology demonstrator
**including drivetrain and suspension
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Detailed Information
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ROTOR CONCEPTS & INCREASING EFFICIENCY
Despite the tremendous performance increase over the last couple of years, CycloTech has already identified various further optimization potentials. Improvements in thrust generation in hover mode, weight-saving measures within the design and concept of the rotor, and increased efficiency in forward flight mode will further raise the competitiveness of the technology. One of the multiple improvements, just to name one of it, will be a direct drive without gearbox. Safety, reliability, and redundancy of systems are main topics during the certification of aviation systems.
For the future use as a main propulsion system CycloTech is targeting a twin-rotor system that is designed and built as a redundant CycloRotor concept for the use in UAV and Urban Air Mobility applications. In addition, CycloRotors can be configured and combined in many ways, with themselves in different sizes, orientations, and quantities or with other typical aircraft components, such as lifting surfaces, or other propulsion systems.
Demonstrator Development
The proof of concept was performed with a flight demonstrator of 83kg take-off weight equipped with 4 of our CycloRotors in 2021. The demonstrator is used as a technology platform to test further optimization loops of the rotor technology.
In 2023, following EASA regulations, CycloTech received permission from the national aviation safety authority (Austro Control) to perform outdoor flights with its second demonstrator, which also features an enhanced flight control system.
First outdoor free flights took place in August 2023.
