HOBBYWING VTOL UAV Propulsion Empowers Sapienza Team at the SUAS International Competition 2025
Source : HOBBYWINGDate : 1st Aug 2025
The Sapienza Flight Team is a student UAV team from Italy, dedicated to fixed-wing aircraft design and competitions. At the 2024 SUAS (Student Unmanned Aerial Systems) competition, Sapienza achieved a major milestone with their reliable fixed-wing platform—securing 6th place overall and winning the Safety Award, which recognizes teams with outstanding performance in executing safe, structured, and compliant mission procedures.
Encouraged by this success, the team decided to pursue further innovation. Departing from their previous UAV types, Sapienza debuted a self-designed, self-manufactured, and flight-tested tri-rotor VTOL fixed-wing aircraft at the 2025 SUAS competition.
“We chose a tricopter VTOL configuration due to its superior maneuverability, reduced weight, increased agility, and enhanced aerodynamic efficiency. It also stands out for its non-traditional and innovative design.” said the team lead. “This VTOL project began in October 2024. After extensive aerodynamic and structural analysis, our engineering team ultimately selected HOBBYWING VTOL drone motor and ESC.”
Innovative Design & Key Configuration
The tri-rotor VTOL features a lifting-body structure with a 3.6-meter wingspan and a 1.7-meter fuselage. It includes a movable horizontal stabilizer for dynamic trim control and a ventral vertical stabilizer to reduce crosswind interference.
For propulsion, the UAV adopts a layout of two tiltable front puller motors and one rear motor. During takeoff and landing, the front motors tilt vertically while the rear motor activates to generate lift. In cruise mode, the rear motor shuts down, and the front motors tilt forward to provide horizontal thrust.
“HOBBYWING’s VTOL drone power system has performed exceptionally well during testing and operation,” said the team lead. “Each motor is capable of delivering 9 kg of thrust, and since the drone weighs only around 10 kg, it is able to maintain stable flight using less than 50% throttle.” This setup offers high control responsiveness, excellent energy efficiency, and smooth transitions from vertical to horizontal flight. The aircraft maintains optimal performance at a cruise speed of 15 m/s.
HOBBYWING’s VTOL UAV propulsion system—with its outstanding thrust redundancy, responsiveness, and stability—has provided solid technical support for Sapienza’s transition from fixed-wing to tri-rotor VTOL.
The Sapienza Flight Team’s story highlights the vast potential of young engineers in UAV innovation. HOBBYWING remains committed to delivering reliable power solutions worldwide and supporting more flight dreams around the globe.
HOBBYWING VTOL UAV Propulsion Empowers Sapienza Team at the SUAS International Competition 2025
Source:HOBBYWINGDate: 1st Aug 2025
The Sapienza Flight Team is a student UAV team from Italy, dedicated to fixed-wing aircraft design and competitions. At the 2024 SUAS (Student Unmanned Aerial Systems) competition, Sapienza achieved a major milestone with their reliable fixed-wing platform—securing 6th place overall and winning the Safety Award, which recognizes teams with outstanding performance in executing safe, structured, and compliant mission procedures.
Encouraged by this success, the team decided to pursue further innovation. Departing from their previous UAV types, Sapienza debuted a self-designed, self-manufactured, and flight-tested tri-rotor VTOL fixed-wing aircraft at the 2025 SUAS competition.
“We chose a tricopter VTOL configuration due to its superior maneuverability, reduced weight, increased agility, and enhanced aerodynamic efficiency. It also stands out for its non-traditional and innovative design.” said the team lead. “This VTOL project began in October 2024. After extensive aerodynamic and structural analysis, our engineering team ultimately selected HOBBYWING VTOL drone motor and ESC.”
Innovative Design & Key Configuration
The tri-rotor VTOL features a lifting-body structure with a 3.6-meter wingspan and a 1.7-meter fuselage. It includes a movable horizontal stabilizer for dynamic trim control and a ventral vertical stabilizer to reduce crosswind interference.
For propulsion, the UAV adopts a layout of two tiltable front puller motors and one rear motor. During takeoff and landing, the front motors tilt vertically while the rear motor activates to generate lift. In cruise mode, the rear motor shuts down, and the front motors tilt forward to provide horizontal thrust.
“HOBBYWING’s VTOL drone power system has performed exceptionally well during testing and operation,” said the team lead. “Each motor is capable of delivering 9 kg of thrust, and since the drone weighs only around 10 kg, it is able to maintain stable flight using less than 50% throttle.” This setup offers high control responsiveness, excellent energy efficiency, and smooth transitions from vertical to horizontal flight. The aircraft maintains optimal performance at a cruise speed of 15 m/s.
HOBBYWING’s VTOL UAV propulsion system—with its outstanding thrust redundancy, responsiveness, and stability—has provided solid technical support for Sapienza’s transition from fixed-wing to tri-rotor VTOL.
The Sapienza Flight Team’s story highlights the vast potential of young engineers in UAV innovation. HOBBYWING remains committed to delivering reliable power solutions worldwide and supporting more flight dreams around the globe.
