Fires that start far from roads and infrastructure need response methods that don't depend on ground access. The University of British Columbia Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) team built their 2026 AEAC competition entry around that problem, developing a drone designed to automate first-response wildfire suppression and emergency response. Part of that mission involves delivering equipment to people on the ground, and the team's answer was a pair of independent payload release mechanisms mounted to a single airframe.
Technical Specifications: For more info about the specific products used in this application, check out our PQ12 and L12 Actuator Product Pages
Engineering Constraints
A delivery drone has to do more than lift its cargo. It has to hold that cargo securely through an entire flight, then release it on command with no one anywhere near the aircraft. The design brought its own set of constraints:
- Hold and release: Each mechanism had to hold its load securely for the duration of a flight, then let go when triggered. A release that fires early or fails to fire at all means a failed mission either way.
- An expanding cargo list: The hinged platform carried radios and handheld communications gear. Late in the design cycle, the team added a claw mechanism to carry tanks such as oxygen cylinders or fire extinguishers, a move made to better meet competition objectives.
- Working within the space: The claw needed an actuator small enough to fit inside the mechanism, replacing the more powerful P16 with the more compact L12 model.
Selected Solution
The team solved the problem with two separate release mechanisms, each built around a different Actuonix actuator and each releasing its load in a different way.
The claw is slung beneath the drone, at the very bottom of the airframe, and grips its cargo between a set of aluminum fingers. The fingers hang from the assembly above and close around the body of the load, keeping it held through flight. An L12 actuator opens one side of the claw, and once the fingers part, the load falls free.
The second mechanism is a hinged platform mounted above the claw, and it carries the radios and handheld communications gear. The deck is hinged along one edge, and a PQ12 actuator holds it closed. The PQ12's extended shaft engages a bracket on the platform's free edge, pinning the deck level through flight. When the shaft retracts, the bracket comes free and the platform swings open, dropping its load.
Technical Detail: The two payload release mechanisms release by different principles. The L12 does the releasing work itself, actively driving the claw open. The PQ12 never moves the load at all. It simply withdraws the pin holding the platform shut, and gravity handles the rest. Matching the release principle to the mechanism let the team keep both designs mechanically simple.
Specification Snapshot:
- Actuators: Actuonix PQ12-63-6-R and L12 series
- Application: Hinged platform release and cargo claw
- Primary use: Airborne delivery of emergency equipment
Related Post: Rocket Thrust Vectoring System Using L16 Actuators
FAQ: Cargo Release Design
Why build two separate release mechanisms?
The two mechanisms carry different classes of equipment. The claw holds tanks such as oxygen cylinders or fire extinguishers, while the platform carries radios and handheld communications gear. The claw was added later in the design cycle to better meet competition objectives, and it operates independently of the platform mechanism, with its own actuator and its own release action.
Why use the compact L12 for the claw?
The claw's internal space left no room for a longer actuator body. The L12's compact housing fit within the mechanism while still providing the stroke needed to open the claw, which made it the practical choice over the larger P16.
What holds the platform closed during flight?
The PQ12's extended shaft is the lock. It engages a bracket on the platform's free edge, and as long as the shaft stays extended, the deck cannot swing open on its hinges. Releasing the load takes nothing more than retracting the shaft.
Why does a firefighting drone carry communications equipment?
The team's competition mission covers emergency response alongside wildfire suppression. The hinged platform was built to carry a radio and other handheld communications equipment, and its release mechanism gives the drone a way to put that gear on the ground. The claw provides the same capability for larger equipment such as tanks.
Matching the Actuator to the Mechanism
The UBC UAS build is a good example of selecting actuators per mechanism rather than per project. One release system needed active motion in a tight space, the other needed a simple retracting pin, and the team matched a different actuator to each job. Understanding what each mechanism actually asks of its actuator, in size, motion, and function, is what turns a parts list into a working system.
If you need assistance selecting a product that meets your application requirements, please contact our sales team for assistance. Actuonix can create custom designs for all OEMs.
