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Feiyi: China's Revolutionary Air-Water Amphibious Drone with Dual-Mode Technology.
China has unveiled an innovative amphibious drone called "Feiyi" (飞翊), designed to operate seamlessly across air and water. This rotary-wing UAV is a versatile platform capable of underwater submersion, surface navigation, and aerial flight. With its cutting-edge folding mechanisms and dual propulsion systems, Feiyi is set to redefine the capabilities of amphibious vehicles for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to advanced military operations.
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An example of an Air-Water Amphibious Drone. (Picture source: Shifair)
The design of Feiyi emphasizes efficiency and adaptability. Its folding arms enable a streamlined profile underwater, reducing drag and improving stealth. In aerial mode, these arms extend to provide high maneuverability and stability. The rotary-folding mechanism not only increases folding range but also reduces weight and enhances structural stability, making it a significant improvement over traditional folding systems.
To achieve peak efficiency, Feiyi employs separate propulsion systems for aerial and underwater operations. The aerial propulsion relies on a quad-rotor system for responsive and stable flight, while four underwater thrusters provide precise control with six degrees of freedom in water. This separation ensures optimized performance in both environments, addressing a common limitation in existing designs that rely on shared propulsion.
The drone’s control system incorporates Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC), an advanced method that compensates for environmental disturbances during air-water transitions. This allows Feiyi to perform multiple cross-medium maneuvers in a single mission, enhancing its versatility for prolonged operations. By integrating ADRC, Feiyi also achieves high stability and precision, with altitude control accurate to ±0.1 meters and angular deviations maintained within ±0.5°.
During trials, Feiyi demonstrated exceptional performance. Underwater navigation was smooth and agile, with the drone capable of diving, hovering, and ascending at speeds of up to 2 m/s. In aerial mode, it exhibited responsive flight dynamics, achieving a maximum speed of 3 m/s. The cross-medium transition, a critical aspect of its design, was executed seamlessly. Transitioning from underwater navigation to vertical flight posture took less than 10 seconds, with stable control and minimal disruptions. Similarly, the return to water involved a controlled splashdown, followed by arm retraction and preparation for underwater tasks.
The versatility of Feiyi extends to both civilian and military applications. In civilian contexts, it offers solutions for environmental monitoring, underwater resource exploration, and search-and-rescue missions. For military purposes, it provides a robust platform for maritime reconnaissance, surveillance, and rapid-strike operations, leveraging its ability to operate covertly underwater and transition swiftly to aerial modes for rapid deployment.
Compared to existing amphibious UAVs, such as the GTQCormorant and the Nezha series, Feiyi showcases significant advancements. Its rotary-folding arm design and separate propulsion systems address limitations in efficiency and adaptability. The integration of ADRC further enhances its performance by providing precise control even in challenging environments, allowing for reliable multi-medium transitions within a single mission.