A curated list of awesome resources, research, and companies related to Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drones.
VTOL drones combine the benefits of multirotor and fixed-wing aircraft, offering vertical takeoff/landing with extended flight range and efficiency. This list features high-quality tools, platforms, academic research, and commercial applications for VTOL UAV systems.
- Overview & Concepts
- VTOL Drone Platforms
- Open-Source Projects
- Flight Control Systems
- Design & Simulation Tools
- VTOL Research
- Regulations & Standards
- Commercial Applications
- Videos & Demos
- Related Awesome Lists
- VTOL UAV Basics – UAV Coach – A beginner’s guide to VTOL drone technology.
- Fixed-Wing VTOL vs. Traditional Drones – Pros and cons of hybrid platforms.
- Understanding VTOL Configurations – Quadplane, tilt-rotor, tail-sitter, and more.
- WingtraOne – High-precision VTOL drone for surveying and mapping.
- Quantum Systems Trinity F90+ – Long-range VTOL mapping drone.
- Vertical Technologies DeltaQuad – VTOL UAV for surveillance, mapping, and delivery.
- AeroVironment JUMP 20 – Military-grade VTOL ISR platform.
- eVTOL News – Aircraft Directory – Extensive directory of electric VTOL aircraft.
- PX4 VTOL Support – PX4 Autopilot documentation for VTOL transitions.
- ArduPilot VTOL Docs – ArduPilot’s hybrid drone guide.
- OpenVToL – Community-driven VTOL drone development (experimental).
- CubePilot – Widely used flight controller with VTOL compatibility.
- PX4 Autopilot – Robust open-source flight stack for advanced VTOL operations.
- ArduPilot – Full-featured autopilot suite with VTOL-specific support.
- UAVCAN – For Hybrid VTOL Communication – Lightweight protocol for UAV component communication.
- QGroundControl – Ground station software for mission planning.
- XFLR5 – Analysis tool for airfoil and wing configurations.
- Gazebo Simulator – 3D robotics simulation with VTOL integration via PX4.
- NASA VTOL Studies – Research on vertical flight and hybrid aircraft.
- Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems – VTOL Papers – Peer-reviewed research.
- IEEE Papers on VTOL UAVs – Search for VTOL drone design, control, and autonomy.
- FAA UAS Regulations – U.S. rules for commercial and hybrid UAV operations.
- EASA Drone Rules – EU regulations for drone platforms.
- Transport Canada – RPAS – Canadian RPAS rules including fixed-wing VTOL.
- Aerial Surveying – VTOLs are widely used for topographic, agricultural, and infrastructure mapping.
- Surveillance & ISR – Used in law enforcement and military for persistent aerial observation.
- Cargo & Delivery – VTOL configurations offer extended range and vertical access for package delivery.
- Disaster Response – Hybrid drones offer the flexibility to access remote or damaged areas.
- Awesome Drones
- Awesome UAV Flight Test Planning
- Awesome Flight Log Analysis
- Awesome Open-Source Drone Firmware
- Awesome UAV Collision Avoidance
Contributions are welcome!