Heavy lift logistics drones (HLLDs) from Zen Technologies offer the most advanced capabilities to fulfil the role of providing reliable logistics support in typically challenging environments and even in combat situations in the face of the enemy.
Statement of Mission for Zen Logistics Drone:
- A typical mission would involve loading of drone from an altitude up to 4500m, or say Point A; next, drone to climb up 1000m, and land at a point B up to 10Km away, and may be out of line of sight and No Radio Line of Sight, from Point A. It would land at Point B, and 1) a soldier may remove the load, or 2) load may be dropped in low hover or 3) dropped from high hover
- The drone can take off from this delivery Point B- 1) by press of a button by the unloading soldier or 2) autonomously take off after a pre-set delay, 3) Continue Mission after Drop Load function
- It would come back or move autonomously to another point C and repeat the load drop actions
- At intermediate landing point fresh load may be loaded and dropped accordingly
- Compact Loads can be strapped into Load Tray. Oversize loads may be underslung & Landed
Rugged and Robust
The drone is intended to be used in the challenging environment of the ‘front line’ and would be handled by the soldier, possibly in very difficult circumstances.
Ease of Use
Zen drones offer a very intuitive and friendly User Interface.
Mission Control Modes
Zen HLLD can be controlled manually and autonomously.
Safety Features
Zen drones have a safety ‘Special Return to Land’ which is a requirement for a typical Logistics drone mission in the mountains.
Load Carriage
Load carriage is the primary purpose of the HLLD, hence it offers numerous facilities as under:-
- Load Tray: The HLLD features an ample load tray or load bay which can accommodate a typical military jerry-can, ammunition boxes and even oversized weapons like machine gun, AMR etc.
- Underslung Load
Load Delivery
Zen HLLD offers various means of delivery of payload as under:-
- Land and Offload: The drone lands, and soldiers can remove the payload.
- Hover and Deliver: The drone does a low hover, and soldiers can un-hook the load.
- Low Hover and Drop: HLLD can drop the load from a low height.
- High Hover and Drop: The load can be dropped from a height also.
- Para-drop: Load can be dropped by parachute from any height.
Onward Mission after Delivery
Once load is delivered, there may be many requirements; maybe another load has to be uploaded, or the drone is to be sent to another landing point, or back to base and so on. Hence, the HLLD is designed for the fullowing modes:-
- Manual Take Off: Pilot takes off the drone after delivery of load.
- Auto-take Off: Drone automatically takes off after a pre-programmed delay.
- Remote Button: The drone has an 'OK Take-off Button' or OTB. Once the unloading is done, the button is pressed; drone gives signal, and takes off after pre-set delay.
- Programmed Continuation of Mission:In case under slung load that is dropped at delivery point, the drone will continue to the next function after the drop is executed.
- Altitude: Zen HLLDs can operate at altitudes of 4500m and do an ascent of 1000m with full load
- Wind: Wind conditions with gusts up to 30 to 40 Kmph or level 5 on the Beaufort scale
- Rain and Snow: Zen HLLD can operate in light rain and snow
- Dense Fog: With full autonomous function, Zen drones can function despite dense fog
- Night Operation: Zen drones can operate by night with night camera and in autonomous mode
- Portability: Zen heavy lift drones are unique due to their 'two-soldier portability'
Specifications of Zen Heavy Lift Logistics Drone (Zen HLLD)
| Configuration |
Hexa Copter |
Endurance |
30 Mins |
| Wing Span |
2m |
Turnaround |
10 + 10 Km (10 Km with + 10 Km Without Load) |
| Max All Up Weight |
70 Kg |
Control |
Manual, BVLOS, Non Radio Line of Sight or Radio denied/jammed, autonomous |
| Useful Payload |
20 Kg |
Altitude |
5500m |
| Temperature |
-25 to 55c |
Load |
Load Tray Underslung |
| Positioning |
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Inertial for custom drones |
