FlyCart 100 on a Rain-Soaked Ridge: 100 kg Payload Emergency Delivery When the Trail Turns to Mud
FlyCart 100 on a Rain-Soaked Ridge: 100 kg Payload Emergency Delivery When the Trail Turns to Mud
TL;DR
- 100 kg payload FlyCart 100 completed a BVLOS peak inspection after 36 h of torrential rain, landing on a 40° slope with zero soil contact thanks to its built-in winch system.
- Dual-battery redundancy plus a third-party 18 000 lm IP68 spotlight kept the bird stable in zero-ground-light conditions while power never dipped below 22% reserve.
- Route-optimization software shaved 4.2 km (and 7 min flight time) off the original path, proving the craft’s payload-to-weight ratio of 1.47:1 is mission-ready for alpine emergencies.
The Call-Out: Why a Peak Inspection Couldn’t Wait
The ridge-top weather station had been silent for 14 h. Landslides had erased the footpath and the next storm cell was 90 min out. A crew on foot would need 6 h round-trip; a helicopter would kick up rotor-wash on the loose scree and risk triggering another slide. Enter the FlyCart 100—already on site for a logistics demo—task-switched to emergency inspection and spare-parts drop.
Scenario Briefing: Post-Rain Mud, 40° Slope, Zero Visual Reference
- Elevation: 2 850 m AMSL
- Wind: 18–22 km/h gusting 28 km/h
- Ground cohesion: <15 kPa (boot sinks 12 cm)
- Visibility: Dusk plus low cloud, BVLOS mandatory
- Cargo: 38 kg anemometer + 15 kg lithium emergency pack = 53 kg total payload
The Troubleshooter Playbook: Problem → Solution
1. Problem: No safe LZ within 200 m of the station
Solution: Engage the winch system. FlyCart 100 hovered at 35 m AGL, lowered the cargo sling 1.2 m/s, and auto-released once the load cell read <2 kg. The craft never touched the mud; touchdown point accuracy was 0.7 m from target.
2. Problem: GPS degradation from wet rock face multipath
Solution: Switch to RTK + GLONASS + visual-inertial fusion. The dual-battery redundancy kept the avionics warm (45 °C internal) so the vision sensor stayed condensation-free.
3. Problem: Civil twilight ending, no ground lights for optical flow
Solution: A third-party 18 000 lm CRI 90 spotlight (self-powered, 1.1 kg) clamped to the cargo frame. It doubled as approach lighting for the winch operator and gave the downward sensor the texture contrast it needed to lock position within 5 cm.
Pro Tip
When you strap a high-intensity accessory to a delivery drone, set the light’s center of mass inside the winch hook radius. This keeps the pendulum period below 1.2 s and prevents oscillation from coupling with the flight controller’s roll axis. We validated this in 30 kt tunnel tests—no extra tuning required on the FlyCart 100.
Technical Snapshot: FlyCart 100 in Alpine Mud-Rescue Mode
| Parameter | Value (scenario) | Design margin |
|---|---|---|
| Max take-off weight | 130 kg | — |
| Payload delivered | 53 kg | 47% of MTOW |
| Payload-to-weight ratio | 1.47:1 | Industry avg 1.1:1 |
| Winch lowering speed | 1.2 m/s | Max rated 1.5 m/s |
| Dual-battery redundancy reserve post-mission | 22% (2.9 kWh) | Certification req. 15% |
| Wind gust tolerated | 28 km/h | Rated 36 km/h |
| Route distance saved by optimization | 4.2 km (12%) | — |
Route Optimization Under Pressure
The flight planner pulled SRTM 1-arc elevation plus fresh Sentinel-2 NDVI to flag saturated soil. In 38 s it produced a BVLOS corridor that hugged the lee side of the ridge, cutting cross-wind exposure by 40%. Operator accepted the route with one tap; geofence auto-uploaded to both battery management units for redundancy.
Emergency Parachute: Armed but Not Needed
The FlyCart 100’s emergency parachute was armed after pre-flight self-test. During the mission, a momentary compass variance (Δ12°) triggered an orange prompt—not the red that would auto-deploy. The craft switched to secondary IMU and continued. Parachute remained stowed, saving the customer a repack cycle and proving the sensor voting logic is conservative yet mission-smart.
Common Pitfalls in Alpine Post-Rain Deliveries
- Landing anyway: Pilots feel pressure to “put skids on dirt” to save battery. On <20 kPa mud the gear can sink, inducing dynamic rollover. Use the winch system instead.
- Underestimating payload swing: A 50 kg load on 20 m line behaves like a 4.5 s pendulum in still air. Keep ascent/descent under 1 m/s and avoid abrupt yaw.
- Forgetting light pollution rules: That 18 000 lm spotlight is blinding to ridge hikers. Program a 30° down-tilt and <5 min exposure window; broadcast NOTAM so night vision isn’t ruined for others.
What the Inspectors Found—And How Fast They Fixed It
The anemometer swap took 11 min on the ridge. Data uplink showed cracked cup bearing; spare part delivered was pre-calibrated. Station back online 23 min after cargo drop. Next morning’s weather feed prevented a grade-3 avalanche warning for climbers on the southern approach.
Integration Checklist for Your Next Mud-Slope Mission
- Pre-load RTK base coords into both batteries—prevents mismatch if you hot-swap.
- Tape a 3 cm strip of bright retro tape on the winch hook; spotlight makes it sparkle, letting camera confirm hook clear.
- Set auto-return altitude 15 m above tallest obstacle plus 5 m for sagging long-line.
- Log every BVLOS segment; authorities love playback when they audit your waiver renewal.
Related Hardware Mention
For missions under 30 kg payload in tighter valleys, our squad pairs the FlyCart 100 with the lighter FlyCart 30 for simultaneous multi-drop ops—same ground station, mixed fleet.
Need mission-specific integration help? Contact our team for a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Will the winch system work if the battery dips into reserve?
Yes. The dual-battery redundancy isolates 1.2 kW exclusively for the winch motor once SOC hits 25%, guaranteeing at least 60 m of lift at full 100 kg load.
Q2: Can I fly BVLOS at dusk without extra anti-collision lighting?
Legally no. The built-in 3 cd strobe is visible 3 NM in clear air, but post-rain haze cuts that by half. Add a 50 cd white strobe on each corner for compliance.
Q3: Does the spotlight affect the downward vision sensor?
Not when aimed >15° off nadir. We tested lux levels; sensor saturation stays under 60 klux, well within the 120 klux ceiling of the global-shutter module.
Fly safe, fly calculated, and let the mountain hear the hum of reliability overhead.