In 2020, a group of engineers working in the drone research lab at Politecnico di Milano, Italy (PoliMI) used their expertise in drone design, integration, flight testing and production to form new spinoff company. Today, Ant-X is a custom drone solutions provider with one foot in the research sphere of PoliMI and the other in the rapidly expanding global drone markets. Aware that the mechanical properties of composite materials — stiffness, durability and light weight — suit drone component requirements, Ant-X went in search of third-party composite suppliers, finally exclusively enlisting Exel Composites (Vantaa, Finland). Remote-controlled drones are becoming increasingly popular in many sectors, such as transportation of goods and passengers, inspection, and defense, where being lightweight is critical. In addition, flight stability has fine margins and relies heavily on a drone’s configuration, so stiffness in strenuous, windy environments is necessary to remain airborne. Persistent exposure to the elements also demands resistance to corrosion and water damage. These are all important qualities that materials such as carbon fiber specialize in. Read more: compositesworld.com/...