Autonomously driving robots for multimodal concepts   

Robots that communicate with robots and solve tasks together – that will be the future. We have joined an exciting partnership for this, which we would like to present. 

Capra Robotics is an innovative young company from Denmark that develops, produces and distributes multifunctional driving robots. With a similar approach to Third Element Aviation, they develop solid, powerful vehicles equipped with intelligent software and LTE connectivity to perform a wide range of tasks in a centrally controlled, decentralised manner. In 2022 they were awarded Robotics Company of the year in Denmark.   

The Capra Mobile Robot Platform has a specially designed chassis with flexible axles and specially developed tyres that enable it, like the namesake goat (Latin Capra), to navigate and overcome uneven terrain, earthy surfaces and sand. Control electronics and batteries are installed inside, and the cover plate offers space for mounting various payloads.   

Capra Robotics and Third Element have been working as partners since 2021, with the aim of using the mobile robot and drone for multimodal setups in projects and for customers. Using common interfaces and communication standards, devices of different types are to solve tasks independently in a network and communicate with a control centre as well as with each other.   

With its “Smart City” product line, Capra Robotics is pursuing various concepts for the use of rovers in urban areas, for example to automatically remove cigarette butts and chewing gum residues or to spread road salt in winter. Alone or in combination with 3EA drones, they are used for security and logistics applications.   

drones #3EA #UAV #thefutureisairborne #aviation #robotics #smartcity

From design to prototype – Bachelor theses at 3EA  

As a project of a bachelor thesis in the course of studies “Industrial Product Design” at the Saxon University of Applied Sciences Enschede, the concept of a mini-drone in Quadro-H form was developed in the past 12 months, on the basis of which a series product will be developed in the future. 

As a detection and surveillance drone in the 4-kilo class with a flight time of approximately 30 minutes, it is equipped with a 180° camera, LED status bars and a carrying handle, making it particularly suitable for mobile operations and authorities with security tasks. 

Supplied with electronics and software developed by Third Element Aviation, the mini drone fits into the product portfolio as a specific extension. It thus also has all the 3EA core functionalities such as LTE connection and IoT compatibility, so that it can also be controlled via the HHLA control center.  

The mini drone is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and thus for monitoring and inspecting industrial areas and halls. It is light and can be transported in a flyable condition, so that it can show its strengths during police and fire brigade operations, for example. 

Are you interested in writing a thesis with us? Then contact Chiara at cw@3rd-element.com – we look forward to your ideas. 

ExpoMINT job day at Ravensberger Spinnerei

On June 9th we were part of expoMINT in the Ravensberger Spinnerei and presented our company to around 40 pupils from the Jöllenbeck secondary school and the Quelle comprehensive school. The eighth to tenth graders were able to learn how a drone works and even be a pilot themselves.

Thanks a lot to experiMINT for allowing us to be there for the second time!

#drones #3EA #UAV #thefutureisairborne #aviation #MINT #Ausbildung

Photos: experiMINT e.V. | zdi-Netzwerke Bielefeld & Kreis Herford

Happy 5th Birthday Third Element Aviation

On Friday, 03.06.2022, we had the pleasure of inviting customers, business partners and friends as well as all employees and their families to a big summer party to celebrate both the 5-year company anniversary and the successful move to our new home in Brönninghauser Straße.

Thank you very much for your visit, we enjoyed celebrating with you at our site!

The Third Element Aviation Team

#drones #3EA #UAV #thefutureisairborne #aviation #happybirthday #5thanniversary #newhome

Drone4Parcel5G – optimised logistics with new technology

Optimised drones for logistics and transport tasks using new 5G technologies – this is what Third Element Aviation is dealing with in the recently launched Drone4Parcel5G project. Based on the newly developed drone model Auriol (VERLINKUNG), a technically optimised logistical use for the transport of important and urgent goods is to be researched and tested. The results should possibly be transferable to regular delivery logistics.

The consortium of the two-year project is led by FH Südwestfalen with the chairs of automation technology and logistics. Participating companies are GTS Systems and Consulting, Noweda, Koerschulte + Werksverein and Third Element Aviation. As manufacturer, 3EA supplies the drones, which are optimised for logistics applications, especially using 5G.

“It is exciting and unique that technical competences from automation and drone technology are working together with experts from logistics and supply chain management and actual end users. In our estimation, the field of intra- and near-field logistics is one of the largest and most exciting growth areas, so we are happy to further expand our know-how here with the experts from different fields,” says Marius Schröder, CEO of Third Element Aviation, “We want to find out how to map routes up to 25km with a payload of 8kg, because we believe there is great potential in the context of more rural regions in NRW.”

We are looking forward to the exciting challenge with interesting project partners as well as the promising project results.

Test standards for drones – StanUAS project completion 

Are there actually standards and test procedures for drones? Third Element Aviation has addressed this question as part of a consortium in the StanUAS project. Together, general standards and test procedures were to be developed in accordance with the current legal framework for drones, on the basis of which future CE classes for drones can be built. 

Members of the consortium were TÜV Rheinland as an experienced technical testing institution, RWTH Aachen University as an academic partner, and RotorKonzept Multikoptermanufaktur and Third Element Aviation as manufacturers and industry experts. 

In the past two years, the existing legal framework 2019/945 (Regulation on Unmanned Aircraft Systems) was analyzed, corresponding requirements were derived from it, test procedures were developed and tested with the project partners not only theoretically but also in practical field trials. The current status of the 3EA drones was thereby adopted as a technological standard model without any adaptations. 

A particular achievement was the volume of over 100 comments submitted to the standards committee, which were considered and thus made a substantial contribution to the state of the art. This allowed active participation on general standards for this young industry to fundamentally increase the safety of drones. 

“We are looking forward to be one of the first manufacturers soon being able to offer officially C3-tested flight systems based on the results of the project and our cooperation in standardization,” said Marius Schröder, CEO of Third Element Aviation after the successful project conclusion. 

Third Element Aviation will continue to be involved at national (DIN) and European (ASD-STAN) level and contribute to the standards for unmanned aviation in order to shape the regulatory environment with its own high standards for function and safety. 

Introducing Auriol – new flight system up to 25 kg

The year 2022 will be an exciting one for the Third Element Aviation team. Not only because of new, challenging projects or the company’s 5th anniversary, but also because of a special product innovation that will be introduced this year. 

Based on the experience of the past years, intensive product development and the influence of experienced drone pilots, Third Element Aviation is launching its new flight system “Auriol” soon, named after the French aviation icon Jacqueline Auriol, who was the first European woman to break the sound barrier in 1953. As a universal carrier platform, it offers the optimum in payload, robustness and safety for a wide range of applications and provides the maximum in performance with consideration for current regulations.  

With a maximum take-off weight of 25 kg, it makes full use of the regulation of the open and specific category with regard to flight permits, while offering power reserves for a multiple of that – thanks to its eight powerful motors in a coaxial design. This ensures maximum safety for applications up to 25 kg.  

Product development is carried out at the company’s headquarters in Bielefeld (Germany) and component production is also planned within Europe to meet industry standards worldwide. The elaborate, lightweight but particularly stable construction is especially durable, easy to maintain and guarantees short assembly times for users.   

Auriol offers great flexibility in terms of payload and flight time due to its high capacity. This opens up a multitude of possibilities for applications e.g. in the fields of inspection, logistics and security. A prototype has already been used for gamma spectrometry recordings in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. But new use cases, for example through the integration of specific sensors, can also be realized, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. More information will be released soon.  

We are moving – 3EA in a new home 

It has become too cozy in the beautiful water tower in Bielefeld’s Windelsbleiche. Our team has grown so much in recent years that we are now moving to a larger property.  

After a long search, we have found a new home in the Altenhagen district of Bielefeld, close to the Autobahn (A2), where we have four times the space at our disposal. In addition to office rooms on two floors, there is now also a 600 square metre ground-level hall, which provides space for product development, production and storage.  

For Third Element Aviation, this is a real improvement and a great sign both internally and externally that takes into account the rapid but sustainable development the last years. In addition we are looking forward to the 5th anniversary of the company to be celebrated there this summer.  

As of now, we can be reached at the following address:  

Third Element Aviation GmbH  

Brönninghauser Straße 38 

33729 Bielefeld  

All telephone numbers remain the same – you can reach us as usual.  

We look forward to this new chapter and even more to welcoming you in our new home soon. 

drones #3EA #UAV #thefutureisairborne #bielefeld #newhome

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We wish you a wonderful and contemplative Christmas season, so that you can start well into the next year.

We are also taking a break over Christmas and will be available again from 03.01.22 onwards.

Stay safe and healthy – we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Your Third Element Aviaton Team

One year of Koerschulte and Third Element Aviation

A little over a year ago, we started the exciting project with Norman Koerschulte and the company Koerschulte + Werkverein to set up a pilot operation for an inner-city delivery logistics route, which has led to a close partnership.  

The company Koerschulte is established as a tier 2 supplier for tools and accessories, especially in the automotive sector, and is a renowned address in the Ruhr area and Sauerland. This is also how we got to know the company and Norman – 3EA as a customer for 3D printed parts at Koerschulte. We got into conversation with Norman, who himself has worked in aviation for a long time and has a corresponding passion.  

Norman’s vision of setting up his own drone airline for delivery logistics resulted impressively fast in a pilot project in which the Koerschulte company supplies a customer with urgently needed tools and accessories over an approved distance of approx. 2 kilometers in automated operation beyond visual range. Thus, the pilot project turned into a test phase with regular deliveries.  

While logistics drones are already used more frequently on factory premises, this is the first successful delivery drone project outside a company’s own factory premises with regular operations in Germany. The response in the industry and in the media was correspondingly great. Since then, we have also been represented together at various trade fairs and events.  

In the meantime, we have already been able to develop extended features such as manual landing monitoring during automated operation for landings on busy factory premises or specific fail-safes.  

Based on the first joint successes, the fleet is to be expanded next year using larger systems, also further delivery routes are to be set up. Koerschulte aims to establish itself as the first drone airline for drone operations, initially in the German region – with 3EA as a development partner and hardware supplier at its side.  

We are very excited about this partnership and the upcoming projects.   

#drones #3EA #UAV #koerschulte #airline #supplychain