No audio available for this content.
A2Z Drone Delivery has launched its latest multi-mission commercial drone, the A2Z Longtail Dual.
Featuring a new dual-battery design, the aircraft’s added battery redundancy combines with integrated smart battery features to improve fault tolerance for rapidly expanding long-range beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations over urban environments and people. The dual-battery design also expedites charging when the aircraft is perched on the company’s drone docks, enabling a one-to-one flight-to-charge ratio and minimizing downtime between missions.
Leveraging the proven design, propulsion systems and avionics of the original A2Z Longtail, the new Longtail Dual was created to help users navigate the regulatory risk-assessment processes necessary to secure FAA Part 107 waivers or CMD/Part 135 operator certifications and satisfy the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s Specific Operations Risk Assessment frameworks for delivery drone missions.
Designed for seamless integration with the automatic charging capabilities of the company’s A2Z AirDocks, the new Longtail Dual and original single-battery A2Z Longtail offer autonomous multi-mission capabilities across diverse urban and rural regions.
Longtail Dual key features
The new A2Z Longtail Dual deploys true battery redundancy, ensuring full aircraft control and operation on a single battery to mitigate risks associated with potential power-system failure.
The dual-battery design also integrates smart battery features to help monitor battery health and degradation, including battery-cell temperature monitoring, battery-cycle tracking and built-in cell balancing. The design also carries over the Longtail’s onboard battery heating, which maintains optimal temperature levels when operating in cold environments, and an automated standby mode that minimizes power draw while awaiting the next mission on an A2Z AirDock network.
The Longtail Dual also shares many of the single-battery Longtail’s safety features, including:
- Motor redundancy: A proven hexacopter airframe ensures continued safe operation despite a single propulsion failure.
- One-to-one charging: With its proprietary battery system, the Longtail Dual recharges batteries at up to a one-to-one charge-to-flight time ratio, enabling mission-critical operations to get airborne faster.
- Dual-redundant cellular connection: Enables automatic switching between cellular providers for uninterrupted video and telemetry during long-range missions.
- Onboard strobe light: Augments standard navigation lighting to increase visibility to other manned and unmanned aircraft.
- Real-time motor feedback: Controller Area Network motors provide real-time tracking of motor performance and service cycles.
- Optional parachute: An optional parachute helps satisfy regulatory requirements in applicable jurisdictions.
- Optional ADS-B In module: Provides real-time positioning and situational awareness to help integrate autonomous fleets into shared airspace.
- IPX4 weatherproofing: Enables operations through medium rain without disrupting missions.
Designed for maximum use-case flexibility, the Longtail Dual features a customizable payload bay that accommodates an array of sensors, cameras and mission-capable tools. While operators can customize their Longtail payloads for unique mission parameters, A2Z Drone Delivery offers two purpose-built payload designs for drone delivery and survey and patrol missions.
The Longtail Dual Cargo
Incorporating systems necessary for last-mile deliveries, including retail packages, food deliveries, tool delivery and sample retrieval, the factory-integrated Longtail Dual Cargo payload includes:
- A2Z commercial drone winch: With a maximum capacity of up to 11 pounds, or 5 kilograms, the A2Z RDS2 drone winch enables delivery and retrieval from altitude, keeping spinning rotors away from people and ground obstructions. With an optional parachute, the Longtail Dual can accommodate payloads up to 5.84 pounds, or 2.65 kg, while remaining within the 55-pound maximum takeoff weight common to commercial drone regulations.
- Integrated downward-facing lidar sensor: Working in conjunction with the drone winch, the lidar system enables smooth and efficient payload delivery without human interaction.
- Onboard cameras: Dual fixed first-person-view cameras provide situational awareness for delivery operations.
The Longtail Dual Patrol
Featuring a factory-integrated payload designed for survey, surveillance and drone-as-first-responder use cases, the Longtail Dual Patrol configuration covers a service range of up to 12 miles, or 19 km, with an onboard payload that includes:
- Quad-sensor gimbal camera: Includes a 48-megapixel RGB camera with 11x optical zoom, a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 1,200 m laser rangefinder and a 640×512 thermal sensor for nighttime operations.
- High-power LED spotlight: Illuminates wide areas for search and rescue, rapid response to service calls and repeatable surveillance patrols.
- High-power megaphone: An amplified speaker enables remote operators to communicate with people on the ground.
- A2Z commercial drone winch: Supports rapid deployment of materials to first responders in the field, including radios, medical supplies and more.
A2Z AirDock integration for regional multi-mission operations
A2Z AirDocks are designed to enable continuous autonomous drone deployments across a shareable regional drone infrastructure.
The company’s Longtail UAVs can move from dock to dock, automatically recharging batteries and picking up or delivering packages. A network of AirDocks can expand the service area for fleets conducting multiple missions simultaneously and can be shared among multiple stakeholders conducting different types of missions.
The elevated docks keep aircraft positioned away from people, vehicles and ground-level obstacles during automated charging and mission staging. With multiple dock configurations supporting up to four aircraft simultaneously, the A2Z AirDocks are designed with no moving parts to improve reliability and minimize maintenance demands compared with more complex drone-in-a-box systems.
The docking stations can be deployed to create a network of A2Z AirDocks and companion Longtail aircraft at a fraction of the cost of other drone dock systems, according to the company.
Using the company’s A2Z CloudOS ground control station software, operators can design preplanned mission routes and remotely manage commercial drone fleets while the purpose-built aircraft conduct autonomous missions. A2Z CloudOS also serves as the hub for automated predictive-maintenance features that track winch delivery cycles, real-time battery health, component lifecycles and other operational data.
A2Z AirDock networks are currently deployed around the world, supporting last-mile drone delivery, aerial survey, autonomous patrol, search-and-rescue and medical delivery missions across large regions.
