XOVERY is a project conceived by CIM4.0 (Competence Industry Manufacturing 4.0) based in Turin, which develops a hybrid air vehicle “airship-drone”. The concept involves combining the lightness of a helium-filled balloon (to neutralize weight) with the maneuverability of propellers typical of a drone, in order to create an aircraft with greater flight autonomy and load capacity compared to conventional drones.
The intended applications are numerous: surveillance of critical infrastructure, environmental monitoring, communications in remote or disaster-prone areas, and public event security. The project emphasizes that, thanks to Archimedes’ principle (which supports lightness), the system allows for “longer flights and more load capacity without overly complicating things.”