Up, up, and away! That's the flight sequence for most commercially available drones. However, for drones powered by Aerix Systems’ proprietary omnidirectional propulsion technology, a more fitting description would be: up, zoom off, twist, and slide … often all at once!
To understand the innovation behind the technology – or why it should even be considered an innovation in the first place – it's important to have a refresher on how drones, a.k.a Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), work. Most drones in existence today fall into two categories of flight systems: fixed-wing and rotor-based. Fixed-wing drones (think miniature airplanes) generate lift through forward motion. Air flows over the wings, creating pressure differences that keep the aircraft aloft. Most defense drones fall under this category.
They are efficient, fast, and excellent for covering long distances. However, they have some fundamental limitations: they cannot hover, and require space to take off, land, and maneuver. Their movement is inherently tied to forward motion.
Rotor-based drones, particularly multirotors like quadcopters, solved that limitation. By spinning multiple propellers vertically, they generate lift directly, allowing them to hover, ascend, and descend with precision. This capability is what makes rotor-based drones the most widely used across most commercial applications.
However, conventional rotor-based drones also have their limitations. Let's take the highly popular four-rotor build as an example. In most builds, the four rotors are fixed perpendicular to their axis of rotation. This means that individual rotors cannot tilt on their own in any direction. As a result, the drone's movement in any direction other than vertical can be achieved only by varying the individual rotor speeds. To perform forward motion, the two rear rotors increase speed while the front rotors simultaneously reduce speed, creating an imbalance that tilts the drone and propels it forward.
For sideways motion, two rotors on one side decrease speed, while those on the other side do the opposite. And so on for all the other movements the drone can perform. You get the gist. Thrust vector remains largely vertical, and direction is a by-product of orientation.
This propulsion system limits responsiveness and constrains the precision with which a drone can control its position and attitude simultaneously. If you look closely at most quadcopter drones, you will notice the obvious tilt as they move forward. To make any movement, the propulsion system has to adjust speed, tilt the drone, accelerate, and then stabilize. This sequence of processes impacts reaction time. Granted, the whole thing is almost instantaneous, but this “almost” is vital in mission-critical applications.
It is these problems that French startup, Aerix Systems, aims to address with its omnidirectional propulsion technology, AERIX T-6. Instead of fixed, vertically oriented rotors, each unit is designed to reorient its thrust direction in real time. This means that, unlike regular rotors that are stuck perpendicular to their axis of rotation, AERIX T-6 rotors can independently change their direction.
Mechanically, this involves a coordinated system of rotating elements and propellers that can redirect airflow almost instantaneously. The effect is that thrust is no longer constrained to a single axis. It can be pointed forward, backward, sideways, or anywhere in between, independently of the drone’s body position.
What this enables is a very different kind of flight behavior. A drone can remain perfectly level while accelerating laterally. It can hold its position while rotating independently, or change direction without the lag introduced by tilting and stabilizing. Movements that would normally require a sequence – for example, tilt, accelerate, stabilize – can now happen simultaneously. This capability results in tighter, more responsive, and far more precise control.
How is this greater control applicable, you ask? Well, for starters, in environments where space is constrained, such as industrial sites, dense urban areas, or indoor facilities, the ability to move laterally without tilting greatly reduces collision risk. To move through tight gaps or slits, the propulsion system can turn the drone completely sideways or at an angle, maintaining this orientation for as long as necessary.
In dynamic scenarios, such as tracking moving targets or navigating complex terrain, the drone’s responsiveness and agility are greatly enhanced. Even in steady-state applications like inspection, maintaining orientation while adjusting position allows for more consistent data capture.
AERIX T-6 offers a maximum thrust of 3.2 kg (7 lb) with an acceleration of 3.5 G. Aerix Systems has packaged this propulsion technology into complete platforms, most notably the AXS-µ1, a compact drone built around its omnidirectional architecture. Powered by multiple T-16 units, the system is designed to demonstrate the full range of motion enabled by the technology. It combines high thrust output with precise control, enabling rapid acceleration and sharp directional changes, even under demanding conditions. The AXS-µ1 can achieve speeds of up to 200 km/h (124 mph) in under three seconds and can resist winds of up to 100 km/h (62 mph).
Thanks to its AERIX T-6 omnidirectional propulsion system, the AXS-µ1 offers significant benefits in both civil and defense applications. In industrial inspections, for example, the drone can navigate tight structures while keeping sensors perfectly aligned. This benefit extends to photography and other data-capturing applications. Another obvious example is in logistics or urban air mobility, where precision and safety, powered by precise control, are critical.
Moving on to defence and security, unpredictable flight paths and rapid directional changes make interception more difficult. It's quite hard to intercept a target that's capable of making an instantaneous 90-degree turn while moving at over 124 mph! Those who have tried to catch a dragonfly can attest to this.
Today, Aerix Systems continues to offer both the complete drone package and the propulsion technology as an independent product. Clients can request various designs and builds with the AERIX T-6 tech integrated.
Source: Aerix Systems
