In the Twister system, our DA 15-N servos control the aircraft’s two wing flaps — a mission-critical task in an aircraft concept that combines vertical take-off and landing with fixed-wing flight. As our CEO Phillipp Volz explains, “Twister is basically a vertical take-off and landing aircraft with fixed wings and two rotors. During flight, steering is controlled solely by two ailerons on the wings — and this is why our servos are absolutely crucial for Twister’s performance and reliability.”
To meet the specific requirements of the project, we implemented the ARINC 825 CAN protocol in our DA 15-N servos. This aviation-oriented protocol enhances the CAN standard with additional rules for timing, prioritisation and reliability, making it suitable for certification in the aerospace industry.
Reliability is at the heart of everything we do — and in Twister, it is especially important. The aircraft is designed for autonomous vertical take-off and landing in confined spaces as small as 2 x 2 metres and for operation in demanding environments. In these conditions, the precise and dependable control of the aircraft’s control surfaces is essential.
We are especially proud to contribute to this innovative aerial intelligence and ISR project for our German customer, Quantum Systems. Twister offers impressive capabilities, including precise navigation in GPS-denied environments through the fusion of visual data and inertial sensors. In such scenarios, reliable autonomous and remote steering becomes even more critical.
The Twister system has been developed specifically for reconnaissance missions. With a maximum take-off weight of 4 kg, 90 minutes of flight time and a range of 15 km, it enables real-time aerial reconnaissance both day and night. Compact enough to fit into a rucksack and quick to deploy by a single operator, it combines flexibility with powerful mission performance.
This focus on reliability is something our partner Quantum Systems values highly. As Benedikt Kössinger, Head of Supply Chain Management at Quantum Systems, puts it: “Our electric vertical take-off and landing systems boast industry-leading endurance, ease of operation, and reliability. And this reliability obviously extends down to the individual component. That is precisely why it is extremely important for us to have partners such as Volz Servos in our supply chain. Here, we know that we are getting exactly the quality we need for demanding missions.”
Projects like Twister show how important robust, high-performance actuator technology is for the next generation of autonomous aircraft. We are excited to be part of this development and to help enable reliable flight performance in highly demanding aerospace applications.
