PITTSBURGH, PA, June 17, 2025 – Wingcopter is working with Ansys simulation technology and its channel partner CADFEM Germany GmbH to develop drone technology aimed at delivering medical supplies – such as vaccines, blood samples, and equipment – to remote areas. The collaboration also supports long-range LiDAR surveying for infrastructure inspection. Wingcopter used simulation to review and update the drone’s payload system. These changes led to a flight range improvement of over 10 percent. The drone can transport supplies farther and reach more locations.
Designing VTOL aircraft that transition from hovering to forward flight requires planning of engines, aerodynamics, energy use, and safety features. Wingcopter uses Ansys multiphysics and safety analysis tools to evaluate its drone design, which includes a backup battery system and eight motors. Four motors use tiltrotor technology, enabling the transition from hovering to cruising.
Simulation helps Wingcopter estimate drone performance across diverse conditions – strong winds, heavy rains, various altitudes, and more. The simulations are compared to field tests and operational data, and the results are fed back into the virtual environment creating a data-driven design loop that enables optimization of parts for safety purpose. Before the final deployment, Wingcopter certified its drone design by using below Ansys simulation tools for different types of testing:
- Ansys Discovery 3D simulation software family of products to facilitate simulation setup
- Ansys LS-DYNA structural simulation software to analyze the crash behavior of the landing gears
- Ansys Fluent fluid simulation software to understand aircraft aerodynamics and rotating propeller dynamics for transition from hover to cruise
- Ansys medini analyze safety analysis software to develop the required assessments to meet safety certification standards of different international aviation authorities
“Simulation helps our teams analyze and optimize our drone design, as well as evaluate individual problems on a level of detail that is often not possible or very difficult to test,” said George Robson, team lead for mechanical engineering and aerodynamics at Wingcopter. “By leveraging Ansys’ sophisticated modeling, we can refine every aspect of drone performance, ensuring unparalleled efficiency, reliability, and innovation in aerial solutions.”
“Ansys simulation empowers customers to move beyond linear product development and embrace comprehensive design loops for more innovative and efficient solutions,” said Walt Hearn, senior vice president of worldwide sales and customer excellence at Ansys. “As the requirements for autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles grow more complex, Ansys technology can efficiently manage and adapt to these demands without compromising performance or accuracy. This ensures that our solutions remain effective and reliable, even as the scope of projects expands, helping our customers like Wingcopter continue to push the envelope.”
Source: Ansys
About Ansys
Ansys, founded in 1970, specializes in engineering simulation software. It offers tools for structural analysis, fluid dynamics, electromagnetic field simulation, and more, enabling industries to design and test products virtually. Ansys software has enabled innovators across industries to push boundaries by using the predictive power of simulation. Serving sectors such as aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, industrial equipment, materials and chemicals, consumer products, healthcare, and construction, Ansys supports innovation across diverse fields. Headquartered in Canonsburg, PA, Ansys continues to advance engineering simulation technologies, empowering organizations to enhance product development processes.
About Wingcopter
Wingcopter GmbH is a German aerospace company founded in 2017 and based in Weiterstadt, Hesse. The company focuses on developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) fixed-wing drones designed for last-mile delivery, medical logistics, and LiDAR surveying. Its drones, such as the Wingcopter 198, serve industries including healthcare, logistics, and infrastructure. Operating globally, Wingcopter has an estimated annual revenue between $5 million and $25 million and employs around 100 to 150 people. The company has collaborated with organizations like Siemens Healthineers and UNICEF to support healthcare delivery in remote areas. Wingcopter continues to develop drone technology to enhance operational efficiency and supply delivery in remote and challenging environments.