Payloads & Integration

Every aircraft in the RFD VTOL tail-sitter family carries payloads on the standardised Ø120 mm bayonet adapter at the nose. The interface is common across the family, so a payload developed for one aircraft carries across the fleet.

Bring your own payload — CAD licence included

With every aircraft you receive a perpetual licence to the CAD files for the Ø120 mm bayonet adapter. This lets you design and 3D-print your own payload nose cones and modules — in addition to the payloads RFD offers — with a guaranteed mechanical fit to the aircraft.

• The mechanical interface is fully defined by CAD (STL / STEP supplied; other formats on request).
• The adapter mates to the fuselage with a quarter-turn bayonet and is retained per the assembly procedure for each aircraft.
• Balance the payload so the assembled aircraft’s centre of gravity stays within the CG marks on the body (see each aircraft’s data page).

Power interface

Payload power is taken directly from the flight battery and regulated to whatever the payload needs:

• Tap point: XT30 connectors on the battery.
• Regulation: RFD voltage-regulator blocks provide the required output — any voltage and current up to the battery voltage (VBAT), via buck (step-down) regulators. Where a payload needs more than VBAT, a buck-boost converter is used.
• Power budget: because power is drawn straight from the battery you can have effectively as much as you need — but drawing significant payload power reduces flight performance and endurance (it comes out of the same pack that flies the aircraft). Size the payload draw against the mission.

Data interface

• Autopilot data line: a UART serial connection to the autopilot, with configurable baud rate. Capabilities and configuration follow standard PX4 serial/telemetry behaviour — refer to the PX4 documentation for supported protocols and rates.
• Downlink options: payload data can also be routed through the RFD telemetry link, or RFD can work with you on a bespoke radio solution separate from the standard datalink.

Payloads offered by RFD

	AEROMed	ISR
Description	Aeromedical carriage of blood, plasma and critical supplies	Camera on a gimbal
Status	Offered	In development
Cargo / sensor	Carries 750 g of cargo	Camera + gimbal ~200 g
Module structure mass	+100 g (nose cone)	Nose cone; the unused mass budget ships as extra battery (more range)
Mechanical	Standard Ø120 mm bayonet — clips on	Standard Ø120 mm bayonet — clips on
Power	None — no electrical connection	< 10 W (inconsequential against propulsion draw) — connect the power line
Data	None	Connect the data line (UART to the autopilot)

Additional customer-specific payloads are supported through the CAD-licensed bayonet interface above.

Integration checklist (summary)

1. Confirm the mechanical fit against the supplied bayonet CAD.
2. Confirm the assembled-aircraft CG stays within the marks (add ballast or reposition the battery if needed).
3. Select the regulator block for the payload’s voltage/current; connect via XT30 off the battery.
4. Wire the data line (UART to the autopilot, and/or the telemetry/bespoke link).
5. Verify power-up, data, and a full pre-flight before flight.