A Hungarian company has developed a drone-mounted transport box

The possibility of transporting luggage by unmanned aircraft is being used and tested in more and more areas. From healthcare to the military industry, these devices can facilitate many processes, for example by being able to deliver food or medicine to hard-to-reach or disaster-stricken areas. A Hungarian-developed box in which objects can be secured can revolutionise drone transport, allowing for the safe flight of liquids, among other things.

Drone technology could also revolutionise logistics. They can travel long distances in a very short time and can reach places that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to reach. This was recognised by the Hungarian company Loricatus Ltd., which brought in Limes Model to develop a prototype of a special box.

The success of the Loricatus Delivery Box is demonstrated by the fact that it is now sold in Asia, South America and the post-Soviet states. In all parts of the world where the viability of the delivery drone is assured or where local legislation does not prohibit its use.

“We started out as a brokering company, but recently we have been putting a lot of emphasis on R&D and innovation. We strive for continuous improvement, which is why we were delighted when we were approached to create a tote box using 3D printing. However, during the design process, it became clear that 3D printing would not be feasible for the full development. That’s when the real innovation activity started, resulting in a prototype of the transport box made of a real high-tech material, carbon,” said Innovation Manager László Tálosi.

During the design phase, under the guidance of Loricatus, Limes’ staff created 1:1 scale mock-ups for the flight tests, which also met the weight requirements. Joint tests were conducted to see how the drone would behave during transport. After the first test, the cantilever had to be redesigned to make the container more stable and to ensure that sudden manoeuvres or possible resonance would not affect the flight characteristics.

Formal laboratory tests were also carried out to test the load capacity of the bracket and the impact resistance of the box. The results far exceeded expectations.

The implemented and already manufactured Loricatus Delivery Box is a hand-assembled and disassembled, water, dust and impact resistant container with a volume of 7,300 cubic centimetres, weighing 626 grams and carrying a weight of 2 kilograms. It currently has a flight time of one hour and a range of 15 kilometres. A bag can be used to secure the object to be carried inside, making it suitable for transporting liquids.