Seeking technical validation: 10kg cargo UAV for 1500m altitude, low-infrastructure (PX4/Pixhawk)

PX4 Autopilot
1

Hi everyone,

I’m Jaden, working on Phase 2 validation of a cargo UAV for medical logistics in Eastern DRC (Goma–Masisi corridor). The goal is not commercialization yet ,just validating core architectural assumptions before hardware investment.

Operating environment:

  • Payload: ~10 kg (nominal)

  • One‑way range target (production): 40–60 km

  • Terrain: mountainous, ~1,500 m altitude, dust, variable winds

  • Connectivity: intermittent or absent for parts of mission

Current design direction (PX4/Pixhawk):

  • Hexacopter demonstrator first (short range, ~2‑5 kg)

  • Long‑term production: hybrid VTOL (fixed‑wing cruise + multirotor lift)

  • Centralized charging only (no field charging)

  • Redundancy: safe landing after single motor failure

  • Autonomy‑first: mission continues even with signal loss

My specific questions for those with PX4/UAV systems experience:

  1. Which of these assumptions concerns you most technically? (e.g., altitude + payload + range with multirotor vs hybrid?)

  2. What subsystem would you prioritize validating first in a low‑funds demonstrator? (e.g., power train, flight controller tuning, battery thermal management?)

  3. Are there known PX4 ecosystem limitations ,for example, VTOL transition tuning in turbulent wind, or sensor performance at 1500m+ ,that early projects tend to underestimate?

  4. Bonus: Any recommended PX4 parameters or hardware configurations that have proven particularly robust in dusty or high‑altitude conditions?

(Full technical snapshot available on request.)

I already have a thread on ArduPilot Discourse ,happy to cross‑reference. Any critical feedback, even a one‑liner, would be genuinely valuable.

Thank you.