Cyclocopters, Advanced Vertical Flight Laboratory (AVFL), Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

[Airicist2]

60-gram Quad Cyclocopter (Texas A&M University)

Oct 30, 2021

This a micro cyclocopter (cyclorotor or cycloidal-rotor based drone) developed by Carl Runco and Prof. Moble Benedict at the Advanced Vertical Flight Lab.

[Airicist2]

Amphibious Cycloidal Propeller Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV)

Mar 31, 2024

The video demonstrates the wave-basin testing of a 43 kg (95 lb) amphibious cycloidal propeller unmanned underwater vehicle (Cyclo-UUV) developed at the Advanced Vertical Flight Laboratory, Texas A&M University. The vehicle utilizes a combination of cycloidal propellers (or cyclo-propellers), screw propellers, and tank treads for operations on land and underwater. The use of cyclo-propellers allows for 360 degree thrust vectoring for more robust dynamic controllability compared to UUVs with conventional screw propellers. Four cyclo-propellers are used to control the Cyclo-UUV while underwater and can be retracted into a set of four wheels to allow for transitioning between underwater and land locomotion. Control of the vehicle underwater is achieved by modulating the cyclo-propeller rotational speed and blade pitch phase angle, allowing for control over the magnitude and direction of the thrust vector of each cyclo-propeller to enable surge, heave, roll, pitch, and yaw motions.