Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students create new VTOL design. Credit: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

A team of students from the US-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s (ERAU) Prescott Campus has developed a new design for an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) that can transition into wing-borne flight by changing its patent-pending geometry.

Design of the new Conseres vehicle has been developed under the university’s Innovative Performance Enhancements for the VTOL Aircraft (IPEVA) programme.

Conseres can connect similar AAVs for long-endurance flight, increasing the propulsive and aerodynamic capability of the aircraft.

The aircraft will also be able to take-off and land in more remote locations than its counterparts.

“The concepts have the potential to be used to develop AAV design for multiple applications, including small package delivery, aerial taxis, remote sensing and military use.”

ERAU student Colton Campbell said: “Not only does this project push the boundaries of technology, but it is revolutionising what we perceive as possible for an aircraft.

“Through the innovative geometry-changing technology and the in-flight connection capabilities, Conseres can accomplish the missions of both a rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft with very little compromise in either category.”

In 2016, US-based company Bell offered ERAU students the chance to collaborate on the joint development of aircraft design.

Two teams from the university took up the challenge and pursued two projects to develop an innovative powertrain with conventional configuration and a conventional powertrain with new and variable-geometry configuration.

Bell selected the second concept for further development, while the two teams were re-formed into ground and flight test teams.

Both patentable concepts saw the development of innovative aerodynamic configurations and the mechanisms required for those configurations.

The concepts have the potential to be used to develop AAV design for multiple applications, including small package delivery, aerial taxis, remote sensing and military use.