From Hybrid Engines to Full Electric: ALTI’s Bold Leap Toward the Future of UAVs

ALTI, a South African drone manufacturer, has spent over a decade reshaping how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operate in the world’s harshest environments. Founded in 2012 as SteadiDrone, the company initially focused on multirotor drones before a strategic pivot in 2016 redefined its future. That shift led to the launch of Transition, a hybrid VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) drone that brought together the agility of multirotors and the long-range efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft.

Unlike companies chasing commercial drone trends, ALTI was born from a genuine market need: rugged, customizable UAVs capable of long-duration missions in remote terrains. “We started before DJI took over,” says Ian Share, ALTI’s CEO, underlining their early entry into a field that has since become globally competitive.

The Hybrid Advantage: A Technical Balancing Act

ALTI’s Transition drone was a clever engineering solution to the limitations of both multirotor and fixed-wing designs. With electric motors used for vertical lift and a combustion engine powering horizontal flight, the aircraft blended the best of both propulsion systems. This hybrid configuration allowed for vertical take-off without the need for a runway, followed by fuel-powered endurance during cruise, effectively delivering up to six hours of flight time depending on payload and conditions.

Technically, this setup relied on:

• Multirotor Electric Motors: For takeoff, hovering, and landing.

• Internal Combustion Engine with Propeller Drive: For sustained forward flight at high speeds.

• Dual Power System Integration: Coordinated via onboard flight controllers to switch between electric and fuel modes seamlessly.

• Modular Payload Bays: Allowing mission-specific sensors or equipment to be swapped out quickly.

The Transition platform saw success globally, with over 100 units deployed by 2024. The hybrid model, however, was only a stepping stone in ALTI’s roadmap.

The Push Toward Fully Electric Flight

In 2024, ALTI began testing a fully electric version of its hybrid aircraft, marking a significant evolution in design philosophy. While electric propulsion systems naturally sacrifice some endurance due to current battery limitations, the benefits—lower maintenance, reduced fuel dependency, and simpler logistics—made a compelling case.

From a technical standpoint, the electric version features:

• High-Energy Lithium-Ion Battery Packs: With advanced battery management systems (BMS) for safe operation.

• Brushless Electric Motors: Designed for efficiency and minimal maintenance.

• Redundant Power Systems: To ensure safety and mission continuity even in case of partial failures.

• Lightweight Airframe Materials: Composite materials optimized for lower drag and improved energy efficiency.

Real-world UAV missions often don’t require the six-to-eight-hour endurance advertised in brochures. “Two to three hours is more than enough for most users,” Share explained, highlighting the natural fit of electric propulsion for short- to medium-range tasks.

Built for the Battlefield, Ready for the Jungle

ALTI’s drones are built to be rugged and versatile. They serve both civilian and military users, operating in environments ranging from African savannas to Southeast Asian jungles. Despite the defense utility, these UAVs are classified as dual-use technology—equally suitable for civilian applications like mapping, surveillance, agriculture, and wildlife conservation.

Some of ALTI’s specialized use cases include:

• Border Surveillance: Utilizing optical and infrared payloads.

• Anti-Poaching Patrols: With live streaming and geo-tagged data.

• Conservation Studies: Custom drones equipped to net bats or count endangered species from above.

• Disaster Response & Mapping: Through photogrammetry and LiDAR integration.

Because they build most components in-house—including composite airframes and electronics—ALTI can offer high levels of customization. Clients can request specific sensor integrations, payload capacities, or operational software tweaks to match mission needs.

Solving Real-World Power Problems

Operating drones in remote or undeveloped regions comes with its own set of challenges—chief among them being access to fuel and reliable electricity. For its electric drones, ALTI is addressing these hurdles by designing self-sufficient deployment kits. These may include:

• Portable Solar Charging Arrays

• Fuel-Powered Backup Generators

• Battery Swap Systems for Rapid Redeployment

• Field-Charging Kits Packaged with the UAV

By reducing the need for high-quality aviation fuel—often hard to source in places like Zimbabwe or the Congo—electric UAVs simplify operations and reduce the risk of supply-chain failures.

What Comes Next: AI, Simpler Aircraft, and Manned Electric Systems

Looking ahead, ALTI is investing heavily in autonomy. Future aircraft will likely feature AI-assisted navigation, automatic obstacle avoidance, and machine-learning-driven mission planning. ALTI is also designing smaller fixed-wing electric aircraft for entry-level users and experimenting with larger, even manned, electric flight platforms as battery technology improves.

While many UAV manufacturers rely on outside funding, ALTI has grown organically—reinvesting its earnings into R&D and production. This independence has allowed the company to move quickly, react to client needs, and maintain complete control over quality.

“What keeps us ahead,” Share said, “is solving real-world problems—not just building flashy tech, but systems that actually work where others fail.”.