Frequently asked questions

Emqopter GmbH, based in Würzburg, develops autonomy technology for unmanned aerial systems: its own embedded platform (EMQ Control), sensors for situational awareness and the software for autonomous control. Another strength is the in-house design of hardware components – which lets us respond quickly and flexibly to individual and changing requirements. The focus is on full autonomy, reliability and fail-safety – made in Germany. On this basis Emqopter builds the open-source Quadrotor Control System (QCS) teaching system for universities, the Q-series development platforms for research and development, and the fully autonomous delivery drone and the drone port for industry and logistics. In addition, we offer classic engineering as a development service – from adapting existing systems to a custom-built drone.

Emqopter was founded in 2016 by Dr. Nils Gageik as a spin-off of the Chair of Aerospace Information Technology at the University of Würzburg – home to Germany's first and only degree programme in aerospace informatics. Accordingly, computer science – the software component – is at the forefront of what Emqopter does. The basis was the research project AQopterI8, Nils Gageik's doctoral project, completed in 2015 with summa cum laude and honoured with several dissertation awards; the core team has been working on autonomous multicopters since 2010. The QCS teaching system grew out of the associated lecture. In 2018 Emqopter operated the first fully autonomous delivery drone in open airspace in Germany; in April 2026 the first drone port was opened at the company's site.

Universities, colleges and research institutions in Germany and abroad, industrial companies, hospitals and public authorities. Universities use the QCS to enhance teaching in the STEM subjects; our development platforms are used in research and development. The delivery drone handles spare-part, medical and food transports and saves staff and transport routes because the entire process is automated. Added to this are partner institutions and companies with whom we develop technological solutions together.

You do. All systems can be operated entirely locally: telemetry, control and the video link then run exclusively between the drone and your ground station – without cloud, without a mandatory app and without any data going to third parties. If you want a cloud connection or other forms of access, that is possible too; a cloud can also be operated entirely locally on your premises. In any case you keep control over where your data is stored.

Yes. Development services are an integral part of our business model: custom builds, adaptations of existing systems, contract research as well as PCB and mechanical design. The first fully autonomous delivery drone was a contract development for a customer. From concept to a flying prototype usually takes three to six months, including export control for dual-use goods. We are open to the subsequent exploitation of a joint development project.

The Quadrotor Control System (QCS): a fully fledged quadrotor that is programmed on a stand without any risk of crashing and, in the Flight version (QCS-F), also flies freely. The complete package comprises hardware, software framework, documentation and twelve lessons – from the EMQ framework through IMU sensors, Kalman filter, quaternions, telemetry and telecommands to attitude, yaw and 3-DOF control and automation, supplemented by two MATLAB exercises. Each lesson contains a slide set, theory, exercises and solutions in German and English; a module description with 5 ECTS is included, and the DroneTechAcademy video series deepens the content. Programming skills are not essential: with the entry-level framework EMQplay, controllers can be parameterised without code, and basic knowledge of C is enough for the further levels. Five levels of difficulty from beginner to expert allow bachelor students without prior knowledge and experienced master students to work on the same system. More than 50 add-on modules extend the QCS with GPS, altitude sensors, object detection, stereo vision or onboard computers. There is a dedicated teaching concept for secondary and vocational schools.

The Quadrotor Control System (QCS) is an interactive teaching system that gets students excited about modern systems: instead of theory at the blackboard, they program a real quadrotor and see the result of their work immediately – application-oriented and motivating for the engineering sciences. The complete package of hardware, software framework, documentation and twelve lessons runs on a stand with a configurable joint: one, two or three degrees of freedom can be unlocked, so sensors, signal processing, control and automation are developed step by step – without any risk of crashing. Five levels of difficulty cover the range from getting started without programming skills to expert level. In the Flight version (QCS-F) the same system takes off. The QCS has been on the market for almost ten years and is now in its fifth generation.

The QCS can be integrated into teaching in two ways. In exercises, lab courses, block seminars or summer and winter schools the students work on the device themselves – small groups of at most four people per system are recommended so that everyone can program, test and evaluate. In lectures and information events the QCS serves as a demonstrator: controllers, sensor fusion and automation are shown live on the system, which makes the theory immediately tangible. For both cases we supply the matching material – slide sets, theory, exercises and solutions for all twelve lessons, suitable for bachelor's and master's programmes alike. The time required depends on your course: from a single 45 to 90 minute block within an existing lecture to an exercise accompanying a whole semester. The lessons can be used independently of one another and can be extended or shortened.

On the stand the system cannot crash or fly uncontrolled through the room. A robust design guarantees longevity and allows a wide range of settings to be tested without danger. A safety ring encloses the propellers; a modular guard from above is available as an option. The joint can be reconfigured between one, two and three degrees of freedom in seconds, so the controller is developed step by step and safely across the degrees of freedom before the system flies freely. Students do not get hurt, and the hardware stays intact.

Yes. We show you the QCS live in a free, non-binding web demo of about 20 minutes and answer your questions. For the delivery drone and the drone port a consultation is possible at any time – on request with a visit to the drone port in Würzburg. For custom systems, industrial applications and research and development projects we also recommend a consultation in which we go through your requirements together. You can book the appointment directly on the website: request an appointment.

Flight-capable development platforms from the compact quadrotor with 200 g payload for laboratory and hall to the hexacopter with 10 kg payload, 60 minutes of flight time and 30 km range. Onboard computers from the Raspberry Pi to the NVIDIA Jetson for object detection, SLAM and swarm control; sensors and interfaces are adapted to your project. Alongside the open-source development platform, a redundant flight controller flies along: if a fault is detected, it automatically takes over via a fallback switch and holds position or returns to the take-off point – so even experimental software can be tested safely. The QCS is already suitable as an entry into research; work developed there can be exported to the platforms.

Fully autonomous delivery drones with redundant control and patented landing site detection, the drone port for intralogistics, and platforms with 3D/4K cameras and LiDAR for inspection and documentation, on request in a private 5G network. Drone manufacturers and integrators can source individual functions of our technology and integrate them into their own systems: the EMQ Control flight controller with software framework and documented interfaces; plug-and-play modules for obstacle detection and collision avoidance using ultrasound, infrared, laser or 3D sensors, which pass their control commands to any flight controller; the patented landing site detection for precise autonomous landing; autonomous navigation and mission planning with redundant safeguards; automatic loading and unloading including battery charging via the EMQbox transport box and the EMQbot robot; the connection to conveyor belts, automation equipment and inventory management via the EMQint interface; and onboard computers with AI functions such as object detection, SLAM and swarm control. Added to this are approval services, training and maintenance. If none of this fits, we develop the system to your requirements – from the circuit board to the mechanics; this is how tailor-made solutions come about, for example in the DNeD research project.

Yes, in principle. The intelligence sits in the drone port and in the EMQbox transport box; the drone only has to meet a few requirements to be able to pick up the box. One example is our joint project with Wingcopter: in a test environment we trialled the prototype of the fully automatic drone port with the Wingcopter 198 – the EMQbot ground robot loads and unloads the drone without human intervention. The integration was achieved in less than three months without changing the design of the drone; after extensive tests of function and precision, the result was presented at the opening of the drone port on 21 April 2026 in Würzburg. So you can operate your own fleet or have service providers fly on your premises. The first drone port has been in operation at the company's site in Würzburg since April 2026.

The drone port turns drone transport into a fully automatic process: you drop off the parcel, a mobile robot loads the drone, the drone flies to its destination on its own and is automatically unloaded there. Nobody has to load or unload a drone by hand, and no expensive infrastructure is needed on site. Unlike a dock, the port handles several drones at once, integrates seamlessly into existing workflows – for example a conveyor belt or inventory management system – and is tailored to your needs. The first drone port has been in operation at the company's site in Würzburg since April 2026 and can be visited by arrangement.

Apart from special cases, operation requires an operational authorisation in the specific category of the EU drone regulation. On request Emqopter handles the entire approval procedure – or you take care of it yourself with the help of our documentation.