Innovative Drone Technology: FIXAR’s Game-Changing Dual-Use Drones

October 28, 2024 | Dawn Zoldi

Innovative drone companies push the boundaries of what’s possible. One such company, FIXAR, a leading software and aircraft design developer specializing in autonomous drones, continues to make waves in both commercial and military sectors. In this Q&A, we sit down with Chris Corgnati, FIXAR Global CEO, to explore its groundbreaking FIXed-Angle Rotor technology (hence the name “FIXAR”) and potential impacts on the dual-use drone market. 

 Image: FIXAR 

Drone Concepts Became Advanced Tech Solutions 

Dawn Zoldi: Chris, for those who may not be familiar with your background, can you give us a brief overview of your background? 

Chris Corgnati: Going back to what I call my previous life, I was in the United States Navy for about 25 years. Most of that time I was a naval flight officer flying P-3s. For the last three years in uniform, I ended up running all the Navy’s Airborne ISR (intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance) programs out of the Pentagon, which included all the uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). Since then, I’ve spent the better part of the last decade in a variety of roles, both consulting and in C-suite jobs, for both services and manufacturing companies. I’ve seen the industry from the government side and the commercial side, both defense-related and civilian use, so I’ve got a pretty broad perspective of the industry. 

Dawn Zoldi: Now, let’s talk about FIXAR. Can you tell us about the company? 

Chris Corgnati: At its core, FIXAR is both a software and hardware company designing innovative UAS specifically for the beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) world. These aircraft really shine when you need to go long distances BVLOS. FIXAR founder, FIXAR-AERO CEO (Latvian entity), Vasilii Fainveits, started the company in 2018 with a very unique fixed-angle rotor design. FIXAR Aero is our R&D and manufacturing company, with its facility based in Latvia, an EU country and NATO member. FIXAR Global is the US entity we created this year, which now owns FIXAR Aero. It’s a standard Delaware C Corp here in the United States. 

Dawn Zoldi: Can you elaborate on the fixed-angle rotor concept and how it sets FIXAR apart from other drones? 

Chris Corgnati: Autonomy is a key part of safety. We believe you achieve safety – and reliability – through simplicity. These concepts are the core of the FIXAR design. The only moving parts on our aircraft are the rotors themselves. All control is done by varying the RPM of the motors. There are no control surfaces, no rotating motors and no rotating wings. While there are other innovative designs out there that accomplish similar goals, I think the level of simplicity that’s been built into FIXAR sets it apart. Fewer moving parts means a more reliable and robust aircraft. 

Drone Prototypes Lead to Enabling Missions 

Dawn Zoldi: Can you walk us through FIXAR’s journey since its founding in 2018? What key milestones has the company achieved? 

Chris Corgnati: The company has made amazing progress since its founding. They started with prototypes and got into a flying version of the 007 model. There was a slight delay due to COVID. FIXAR really started selling 007 in earnest in 2022. So it’s only been on the market for about two years. As soon as the 007 started flying and got out on the market, development of the 025 model began in earnest. It’s now flying, and we’ve got a big launch event coming up this month. We’re also conceptually looking at what we call the FIXAR 300, which is a 300-kilogram version of the 025. This technology will continue to scale. We’ve come a long way in the past two years in particular – from introducing a brand new product, the 007, to scaling it up and improving it in the 025.   

Dawn Zoldi: In creating your novel design, what were the main problems you were trying to solve? 

Chris Corgnati: For us, it’s all about enabling our customers in their specific missions. We want our drones to be safe, reliable and simple to enable them to do their jobs. At the end of the day, what are we doing with drones? We’re either collecting data or delivering something. Our flexible aircraft allow customers to do both.  

Dawn Zoldi: What features enable those various missions? 

Chris Corgnati: For example, with the 007, we have what we call the gondola in the middle. You can swap out payloads without doing anything to the rest of the aircraft. The battery, the autopilot, the structure of the aircraft and everything else stays the same. You just swap out that gondola. So a customer can quickly convert the same aircraft, on the same day, from just a video imagery mission with a camera on it and to a LiDAR collection mission, for instance. Additionally, the 007 can be set up and ready to fly in just two minutes by an experienced crew. Out of the box, you snap on both wings, connect the pitot static tube, fire up the software and get airborne. This is crucial in public safety or military defense applications where time is of the essence. The entire system fits in one Pelican case or a backpack, making it highly portable and easy to transport in the back of a small SUV. 

Enhanced Supply Chain Security Solutions 

Dawn Zoldi: Let’s talk about the software side for a moment. You mentioned autopilots earlier. Besides hardware, can you tell us more about some of the other advanced technologies FIXAR has developed to deliver reliable solutions? 

Chris Corgnati:  We’ve developed a full-stack proprietary system. Everything down to the circuit board for the autopilot is uniquely designed and built specifically for FIXAR. This includes the autopilot, the ground control station and all those components up to, but not including, radio links. The entire structure of the aircraft, how it operates and the brains of it are completely proprietary and built in-house. As for the payloads, we can plug-and-play with almost anything on the market. 

Dawn Zoldi: You mentioned earlier, Chris, that you opened up a US company as an umbrella over the Latvian manufacturing. How important is controlling your supply chain when you’re talking about dual-use technology? 

Chris Corgnati: It’s absolutely critical. We’re currently going through the stringent C3/C6 evaluation in Europe. When we complete that, we’re queued up for NDAA compliance and hope to get into the Blue UAS program here in the United States as a follow-on. The C3/C6 process is sort of an equivalent certification where they look at cybersecurity, building materials, comm links and other aspects of the drone. It’s fairly analogous to the US processes. 

We hope to finish that up in about a month or so. Once that’s done, it makes sense to use those lessons learned to get ready for Blue UAS certification. Supply chain security is obviously a crucial aspect of dual-use technologies. 

Kicking Design Up a Notch: The 025 VTOL Drone 

Dawn Zoldi: Now, let’s talk about the FIXAR 025. Can you walk us through what improvements you made with this new model? 

Chris Corgnati: The 007 has a 7-kilogram gross takeoff weight. The 025 is 25 kilograms and has a 2.8-meter wingspan across the center section. What’s really amazing about this aircraft is that 92% of its surface generates lift. It’s aerodynamically positive. The V-shaped hull consists of all airfoils. The wing and the top, including the bulb that’s part of the red wing, encase the batteries and autopilot. It also has a large volume for sensors. You can attach a LiDAR unit underneath the nose on the red section as well as a gimbal camera down at the bottom. 

Dawn Zoldi: What is unique about how the 025 flies? 

Chris Corgnati: You can picture maybe a LiDAR unit underneath the nose on the red section and a gimbal camera down at the bottom. When this takes off and lands, it’s going to be lying on its back essentially, with the tips of the back top corners actually on the ground. As soon as you take off, the aircraft rotates onto the wing, and the power consumption drops dramatically – from around 90% peak power down to about 18-20%. It’s super efficient on the wing, which is how we’re going to get three and a half hours of endurance and a range of 300 kilometers, all electric. We’re still playing around with different battery and propeller combinations, so there’s still room to tweak the performance. But it’s really, really exciting. 

Dawn Zoldi: How does the FIXAR 025 handle challenging environmental conditions, such as flying over mountainous terrain? 

Chris Corgnati: The 007 has flown in excess of 5,000 meters, so about 15-16,000 feet. With the 025, we’re anticipating being able to exceed 6,000 meters. It’s very capable of operating at those altitudes and in those environments. Additionally, we don’t have any magnetometers built into the autopilot. If you’re in a highly magnetic environment, like you often find in mountains, this causes a lot of interference, especially when flying close to the terrain. We don’t have that problem because of our control system’s design. We are not susceptible to that kind of interference. So that’s another big advantage of flying in that environment with our aircraft. 

Versatile Applications of FIXAR’s VTOL Drone in Various Industries 

Dawn Zoldi: The FIXAR 025 seems incredibly versatile. What are some of the key applications you see for this drone in both commercial and military sectors? 

Chris Corgnati: The applications are truly diverse. On the commercial side, we’re looking at long-range inspection missions, particularly for pipelines and power lines. The 025’s endurance and range make it ideal for these tasks. We’re also exploring its potential in cargo delivery, especially for medical supplies or urgent deliveries to remote areas. In the public safety sector, the 025 could be a game-changer for search and rescue operations. Its long flight time and ability to carry multiple sensors simultaneously make it perfect for covering large areas efficiently. On the defense side, the possibilities are extensive. The 025 could be used for long-range reconnaissance, border patrol and even as a communications relay platform. Its robustness and ability to operate in challenging environments make it suitable for a wide range of military applications. 

Dawn Zoldi: That’s an impressive range of applications. How does FIXAR ensure the drone’s safety and reliability across these diverse use cases? 

Chris Corgnati: Safety is paramount in everything we do at FIXAR. Our drones are equipped with multiple redundant systems, including dual GPS, dual IMUs and dual power distribution. We also have a robust obstacle avoidance system and automated return-to-home functionality. For sensitive operations, we’ve incorporated additional safety features. The drone can operate in GPS-denied environments using its onboard sensors for navigation. We’ve also designed it to be resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can be crucial in areas where normal communications might be disrupted. 

Soaring Ahead Towards Future Developments 

Dawn Zoldi: Everyone seems to be talking about AI. How is FIXAR integrating AI and analytics into its drones? 

Chris Corgnati: We’re making significant strides in this area. Our focus is on developing AI algorithms that can enhance the drone’s autonomous capabilities. For instance, we’re working on advanced path planning algorithms that can dynamically adjust flight paths based on real-time data from the drone’s sensors. We’re also developing analytics tools that can process the data collected by the drone in real-time. This will prove particularly useful for applications like infrastructure inspection, where the AI can identify potential issues and flag them for human review. Finally, another exciting area we’re exploring is swarm intelligence. We’re looking at ways to coordinate multiple FIXAR drones to work together on complex tasks, which could be game-changing for large-scale operations like search and rescue or environmental monitoring. 

Dawn Zoldi:  Many drones are moving towards hybrid or other power sources besides batteries. What do you see as the future for FIXAR’s drones in this area? 

Chris Corgnati: Battery-powered drones offer several key advantages. First and foremost is their environmental impact. They produce zero emissions during operation, which is becoming increasingly important in many sectors. They’re also much quieter than fuel-powered drones, which is crucial for certain applications like wildlife monitoring or covert operations. Maintenance is generally simpler and less frequent with electric motors compared to internal combustion engines. However, we recognize that battery technology still has limitations, particularly when it comes to energy density. That’s why we’re also exploring hybrid power sources for long-endurance applications. 

Dawn Zoldi: Can you tell us more about these hybrid power sources? 

Chris Corgnati: We’re looking at combining battery power with other energy sources to extend flight times even further. One approach we’re exploring is the use of hydrogen fuel cells. These could potentially allow for flight times of 8-10 hours or more. We’re also investigating solar augmentation, where flexible solar panels on the wings could help recharge the batteries during flight. This could be particularly effective for high-altitude, long-endurance missions. The key is to find the right balance between power output, weight, and reliability. It’s an exciting area of research, and we believe it could lead to some breakthrough capabilities in the near future. 

Dawn Zoldi: What can you tell us about FIXAR’s immediate plans? 

Chris Corgnati: We’re very excited about what’s coming up. We’re gearing up for the official launch of the FIXAR 025. We’re planning several flight demonstrations in the coming months. These will showcase the 025’s capabilities in real-world scenarios, including long-range flights and multi-sensor operations. We’re particularly excited about demonstrating its performance in challenging weather conditions and at high altitudes in 2 weeks in Montenegro. We have people coming from all over the world to see it. This is a major milestone for us, and we believe it will open up new markets and applications. 

Dawn Zoldi: Looking further ahead, what’s next after the 025 launch? 

Chris Corgnati: We’re already in the conceptual stages of the FIXAR 300, which would be a 300-kilogram version of our fixed-angle rotor design. This would be a significant scaling up of our technology and could potentially revolutionize certain sectors of the drone industry. We’re also continuously improving our software and AI capabilities. We see great potential in developing more advanced autonomous features and improving our data processing and analytics tools. 

Dawn Zoldi: Where can people learn more about FIXAR’s technology? 

Chris Corgnati: In addition to our big launch event this month for the FIXAR 025, we plan to attend several major industry events in the coming year. These will provide opportunities for potential customers and partners to see our drones in action and learn more about our technology. Additionally, we’re expanding our global presence. We’re looking to strengthen our position in key markets around the world, including in the U.S. and Singapore. 

Dawn Zoldi: As we wrap up, how can people reach you? 

Chris Corgnati: You can reach me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/corgnati and through our FIXAR contact form: https://fixar.pro/contacts/. 

Watch Chris Corgnati on the Dawn of Autonomy Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viyyQZVZyG8