David Hambling,
Ukrainian soldier with DARTS fixed-wing attack FPVCome Back Alive Foundation
Multicopter FPV drones look like the kings of the jungle in Ukraine, hitting tanks, trucks, artillery and infantry with lethal results. But fixed wing FPVs resembling small aircraft are starting to have an increasing impact at longer distances.
“Range, speed and payload capacity, “ ‘Michael,’ Commander of the Typhoon drone unit of the National Guard of Ukraine told me. “These are the fundamental advantages that make fixed-wing FPVs strategically valuable despite their operational complexity.”
Recent videos have shown fixed-wing FPVs hitting air defense systems, parked helicopters and other targets which the Russians probably thought were safely out of range. Except that there may no longer be any such thing.
Essential Aerodynamics: Wings v Rotors
In commercial aviation jet aircraft are the norm, with only a handful of helicopters. On the drone battlefield these numbers are reversed, with rotorcraft outnumbering everything else.
The reasons for both are down to aerodynamics. Rotorcraft get lift from spinning rotor blades, and expend a lot of energy just saying in the air. Fuel economy is poor and aerodynamics are not favorable for high-speed flight.
Fixed wings are more efficient. Aircraft are held up by air flowing under the wind, and can glide without engine power. Fuel efficiency is better, leading to longer ranges, and airliners cruise at about three times the speed of helicopters.
So in commercial aviation wings rule. On the miniature scale of drones the aerodynamics are similar, but quadcopters are easy to fly, as the autopilot does most of the hard work. Hitting the target is also easier: multicopters are maneuverable, and can approach targets from any angle. The operator can slow down to walking speed to go through narrow openings or between trees.
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