Body-Stabilizing Propulsion For Logistics sUAS

The next conflict with China or Russia will hinge on the ability to sustain forces in contested environments where traditional supply chains face unprecedented threats. As adversaries refine anti-access strategies and weaponize logistics disruptions, the U.S. Air Force must adopt small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) to revolutionize resupply operations. These systems represent a game-changer in maintaining combat readiness under fire, offering a distributed, resilient network that outpaces conventional logistics in agility and survivability. The stakes are clear: dominance in sUAS logistics will determine whether the U.S. can project power in the Indo-Pacific or Eastern Europe—or succumb to adversaries’ efforts to strangle its operational tempo. The current standard operating procedures utilize C-130s and helicopters that can be easily shot down in a contested environment, therefore DAF needs autonomous and low cost sUAS for tactical resupply, ISR platforms, and kinetic weapons. Due to the physical limitations of standard sUAS propulsion systems, however, existing drone platforms are not agile, precise, or robust enough to repeatedly execute tactical resupply missions. According to DAF stakeholders, approximately 45% of resupply missions in contested environments require navigation through complex terrain and are subject to winds exceeding 10 MPH. The proposed aircraft will complete missions that other aircraft would never attempt, nearly doubling the number of possible missions and ensuring critical supplies reach Airmen in any situation. Vertiq proposes to integrate its innovative Underactuated Propulsion Technology (UPT) into a commercial and defense fixed-wing VTOL logistics platform. The company is known for its advanced motors and motor controllers for small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) and recently patented its Underactuated Propulsion system. This novel propulsion system allows a single motor and propeller to vector thrust without the need for a complicated swashplate mechanism, and it will enable the creation of highly agile vehicles for a wide range of Department of the Air Force (DAF) missions. With UPT, vehicles can maneuver and stabilize 2x faster (50% decrease in time to move within a 1 meter radius) while maintaining orientation and positioning with 6 Degrees of Freedom (DoF) flight. The system allows propellers to be angled up to 20 degrees in any direction, meaning the aircraft can remain extremely stable in even the harshest flight conditions. Incorporating this cutting-edge technology into a fixed-wing VTOL logistics aircraft aims to enhance DAF UAS capabilities in the following areas: optimized tactical resupply, sensitive payload handling, and superior maneuverability in contested and unpredictable airspace.