Drones & Aircraft
DELTA SWARM
Single-operator drone swarm for ArduPilot: every aircraft follows the team leader(s) in precise formation, flying as one unit controlled by one person.
DELTA SWARM turns any group of ArduPilot aircraft - copters, fixed-wing, VTOL or mixed platforms - into a single coordinated swarm. The drones are linked to each other and move together in precise formation - typically a triangular (delta) pattern - with one aircraft acting as the leader and the rest following it automatically.
A single operator commands the entire swarm. Order the leader, and every aircraft in the formation follows the same path while keeping its exact position in the triangle. No piloting is needed for each drone - the swarm holds its shape by itself.
The system works in sections, in order:
1. Universal ArduPilot Compatibility
Works with the full ArduPilot family - Copter, Plane, VTOL and Rover - on any autopilot hardware running the standard firmware. Each aircraft keeps its own autopilot; no modification to the flight controller is needed beyond enabling the swarm functions.
2. Automatic Formation Linking
The aircraft are linked together over shared telemetry so every drone sees the others in real time. The swarm uses the ArduPilot Follow Mode mechanism: followers receive the leader's live position and hold a programmed 3D offset - a precise slot in the formation (front, behind, left or right wing) that is fixed in metres.
3. Leader-Follower Hierarchy
The formation is led by a team leader. All other aircraft follow it automatically and keep their relative slot even while the leader turns, climbs, or accelerates. The system supports one leader - or multiple leaders - so the swarm can be organized in sub-groups, each with its own lead aircraft, while still being commanded by one operator.
4. Single-Operator Command
From a single ground station screen - Mission Planner, QGroundControl, or other ground-control software - one operator sees every aircraft of the swarm on one map and commands them as a unit: order the formation to a waypoint, change formation slot distances, switch leaders, or take over any member individually at any moment.
5. Formation Integrity & Auto-Hold
Each follower maintains its slot with smooth, proximity-tuned control - not too slow, not too aggressive. Altitude is tracked relative to the leader so the whole formation stays level together, and if the leader is temporarily lost, the followers hold their current position safely until the link is restored.
6. Coordinated Take-off & Landing
The swarm can be launched and recovered together: all aircraft arm, take off and climb as a formation, and return or land as a unit in their relative slots, keeping the formation intact from start to finish.
7. Individual Override & Safety
Every aircraft remains individually accessible. The operator (or any pilot in the group) can switch any member to manual control at any time, and each aircraft automatically holds position or returns to a safety point on its own if communication with the leader is interrupted.
Use it for coordinated coverage, swath area operations, synchronized aerial displays, supply corridors, wide-area search, and any mission where many aircraft must act as one.
For more information, a technical brochure, or a price quote, please contact us through the Contact page.
A single operator commands the entire swarm. Order the leader, and every aircraft in the formation follows the same path while keeping its exact position in the triangle. No piloting is needed for each drone - the swarm holds its shape by itself.
The system works in sections, in order:
1. Universal ArduPilot Compatibility
Works with the full ArduPilot family - Copter, Plane, VTOL and Rover - on any autopilot hardware running the standard firmware. Each aircraft keeps its own autopilot; no modification to the flight controller is needed beyond enabling the swarm functions.
2. Automatic Formation Linking
The aircraft are linked together over shared telemetry so every drone sees the others in real time. The swarm uses the ArduPilot Follow Mode mechanism: followers receive the leader's live position and hold a programmed 3D offset - a precise slot in the formation (front, behind, left or right wing) that is fixed in metres.
3. Leader-Follower Hierarchy
The formation is led by a team leader. All other aircraft follow it automatically and keep their relative slot even while the leader turns, climbs, or accelerates. The system supports one leader - or multiple leaders - so the swarm can be organized in sub-groups, each with its own lead aircraft, while still being commanded by one operator.
4. Single-Operator Command
From a single ground station screen - Mission Planner, QGroundControl, or other ground-control software - one operator sees every aircraft of the swarm on one map and commands them as a unit: order the formation to a waypoint, change formation slot distances, switch leaders, or take over any member individually at any moment.
5. Formation Integrity & Auto-Hold
Each follower maintains its slot with smooth, proximity-tuned control - not too slow, not too aggressive. Altitude is tracked relative to the leader so the whole formation stays level together, and if the leader is temporarily lost, the followers hold their current position safely until the link is restored.
6. Coordinated Take-off & Landing
The swarm can be launched and recovered together: all aircraft arm, take off and climb as a formation, and return or land as a unit in their relative slots, keeping the formation intact from start to finish.
7. Individual Override & Safety
Every aircraft remains individually accessible. The operator (or any pilot in the group) can switch any member to manual control at any time, and each aircraft automatically holds position or returns to a safety point on its own if communication with the leader is interrupted.
Use it for coordinated coverage, swath area operations, synchronized aerial displays, supply corridors, wide-area search, and any mission where many aircraft must act as one.
For more information, a technical brochure, or a price quote, please contact us through the Contact page.
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