VTOL On Demand Mobility

[martinbayer]

I've been promised flying taxis since the Nineteen Sixties Jetson era, so color me nonplussed until one lands in my local SoCal cul-de-sac.

 

[yasotay]

@martinbayer - I know. I was supposed to have retired to the moon colony by now. Much nicer for us graviationally challenged old people.

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

Flying Taxis Are Coming in 2024. You Read That Right

JoeBen Bevirt says the future of local travel is taking flight. But are we ready to leave the land and take to the sky?

www.rollingstone.com

A good general overview of where the industry is today.

A few choice quotes;-

“Why aren’t we building cities in the sky?” asks Archer founder and CEO”

Nurse, Nurse….. Meds required for this one

And

“ Within our lifetime, many of you are going to own your own personal electrical helicopter. This is just unbelievable!”

Yep you said it, the last sentence, ….maybe his get out jail card for his Therous type trial.

And

“BEVIRT (Joby CEO) invites me to his home in the Santa Cruz Mountains, on the other side of the range from Silicon Valley. He wants me to understand how much Joby’s eVTOL ties into this one particular place. We sit together alongside a pond not far from his handsome but not showy house. Reportedly 440 acres, his property sits amid the towering redwoods, bluffs, and steep cuts overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”

Wow, hasn’t he done well out of a venture that’s yet to make a penny from selling anything. All you rich folk out there, give me your money for ……..nothing really.

 

[alberchico]

Skepticism, legal action add drag to EHang's air taxi launch effort

Doubts about its eVTOL certification in China and investor lawsuits cast a pall on Air taxi developer EHang's march toward service launch

dronedj.com

“We are determining whether EHang hid flight restrictions that came with its highly touted certification issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. “We are also investigating whether the company lied to investors about its technology and book orders.”

 

[martinbayer]

Skepticism, legal action add drag to EHang's air taxi launch effort

Doubts about its eVTOL certification in China and investor lawsuits cast a pall on Air taxi developer EHang's march toward service launch

dronedj.com

“We are determining whether EHang hid flight restrictions that came with its highly touted certification issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. “We are also investigating whether the company lied to investors about its technology and book orders.”

Maybe more like EHangup?

 

[TomcatViP]

Or Ehangover, if you are among their investors.

 

[alberchico]

Hyundai says its four-passenger eVTOL will be ready for 2028

2028 is just far enough away to sound reasonable.

www.theverge.com

Supernal’s 120-MPH Flying Car Is as Quiet as a Dishwasher and Designed Using Bees

Hyundai Motor Group’s air mobility offshoot has finally unveiled the S-A2, its passenger eVOTL aircraft. It’s not the only electric whirligig trying to soar at CES 2024.

www.wired.com

We finally get a look at the definitive version of the Hyndai evtol design. It looks similar to the Archer evtol design.

 

[e-Graphite]

Hyundai says its four-passenger eVTOL will be ready for 2028

2028 is just far enough away to sound reasonable.

www.theverge.com

Supernal’s 120-MPH Flying Car Is as Quiet as a Dishwasher and Designed Using Bees

Hyundai Motor Group’s air mobility offshoot has finally unveiled the S-A2, its passenger eVOTL aircraft. It’s not the only electric whirligig trying to soar at CES 2024.

www.wired.com

We finally get a look at the definitive version of the Hyndai evtol design. It looks similar to the Archer evtol design.

Look closer. It has more in common with Joby than Archer. It's the arrangement and types of rotors/props that really classify these silly things.

 

[litzj]

Hyundai says its four-passenger eVTOL will be ready for 2028

2028 is just far enough away to sound reasonable.

www.theverge.com

Supernal’s 120-MPH Flying Car Is as Quiet as a Dishwasher and Designed Using Bees

Hyundai Motor Group’s air mobility offshoot has finally unveiled the S-A2, its passenger eVOTL aircraft. It’s not the only electric whirligig trying to soar at CES 2024.

www.wired.com

We finally get a look at the definitive version of the Hyndai evtol design. It looks similar to the Archer evtol design.

downward tilt at that height can be reasonable?

and I want to know what happen to the two overlapped prop-disks at cruise mode (+ rotor radius is relatively larger for its size?)

 

[martinbayer]

All of a sudden I had to think of all these silly blooper reels from early aviation failures...

 

[VTOLicious]

downward tilt at that height can be reasonable?

and I want to know what happen to the two overlapped prop-disks at cruise mode (+ rotor radius is relatively larger for its size?)

Although this tilt rotor configuration is reasonable, the ground clearance of the rear rotors may be a concern indeed.

 

[Rhinocrates]

Not if you want to mow the lawn.

 

[alberchico]

World's first liquid-hydrogen eVTOL aircraft promises 1,150-mile range

The Sirius Jet will fly up to 1,150 miles (1,851 km) at speeds up to 323 mph (520 km/h) on a clean liquid-hydrogen powertrain. It'll rise vertically off a pad thanks to a deflected vectored thrust system using 20 smallish electric ducted fans.

newatlas.com

" Sirius says it's already started the certification process with the FAA, with a demonstration plane scheduled for first flights in 2025"

I'll give them some credit, at least they provided a schematic of this vehicle to show how the internal layout will look like. Whether or not this is practical I have no idea.

 

[TomcatViP]

Although this tilt rotor configuration is reasonable, the ground clearance of the rear rotors may be a concern indeed.

View attachment 716673

For something designed to loiter above city and residential area, they appear to have given a very low value in their design key points for the safety of the public...

Imagine that thing in a forced emergency landing in a school backyard or a college football field...

I can even foresee the marketing adds:
- It will make you head turn around!
- ...Your daily spin-off !

 

[Orionblamblam]

Imagine that thing in a forced emergency landing in a school backyard or a college football field...

Yessss... continue....

 

[Rhinocrates]

Imagine that thing in a forced emergency landing in a school backyard or a college football field...

It is said that if you can keep your head while everyone around you is losing theirs, then you should land your helicopter somewhere less crowded.

 

[Charlesferdinand]

Not if you want to mow the lawn.

Or decapitate zombies.

 

[Reaper]

Although this tilt rotor configuration is reasonable, the ground clearance of the rear rotors may be a concern indeed.

View attachment 716673

Whats the effect of the distance in z-axis (upwards) between the forward and rear rotor layers?

 

[VTOLicious]

Whats the effect of the distance in z-axis (upwards) between the forward and rear rotor layers?

Several rotors arranged next to one another and/or one behind the other always have an impact on one another ...and the surrounding aircraft structure as well.
However, I don't see any particular problem with the vertical distance between the rotor disks.

 

[e-Graphite]

Several rotors arranged next to one another and/or one behind the other always have an impact on one another ...and the surrounding aircraft structure as well.
However, I don't see any particular problem with the vertical distance between the rotor disks.

If they were on the same plane, the wake from the front would miss the rear props during transition flight. This is also when the props are working the hardest and will have the most skew flow and thus high hub moments and airframe vibrations. So there is definitely a downside, but they hope it will be manageable and none of these aircraft are supposed to fly in transition for very long. Supposed to.

 

[TomcatViP]

This girl will be prepping the ground crew:

 

[alberchico]

eHang's eVTOL air taxi will cost buyers less than $350,000 (in China)

While some other urban air mobility startups are still just producing renderings, eHang's EH 216 eVTOL has already been tested and cleared for commercial air taxi work in its home country of China. The company has now gone a step further, by announcing the retail price.

newatlas.com

It's going to be interesting to see how operators make a profit from these aircraft once you factor in the high acquisition costs plus the price tag of setting up all the infrastructure you'll need to service and operate these eVtols autonomously.

 

[TomcatViP]

Given the cost of aviation Manpower in many countries, the business plan is all done if, and I insist, if they can match the say.

 

[GTX]

Australian Hybrid Hydrogen-Electric VTOL Developer AMSL Aero Secures First Civil Order For Up To 20 of its Vertiia Aircraft - The FLY Report

AMSL yesterday announced its deal with Australia's Aviation Logistics for the purchase of 10 vehicles with an option to purchase 10 more.

news.flyjets.com

 

[alberchico]

NTSB Cites Blade Separation in Electric Aircraft Accident - FLYING Magazine

The National Transportation Safety Board has ruled blade failure as the cause of the crash of a remotely piloted Joby Aviation electric aircraft in 2022.

www.flyingmag.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Cascading failure that could be avoided with a canted disc installation to indulge an out of plan separation trajectory.

 

[hangar3]

Hello,

Does anyone have more information on the defunct Bosch Aerospace Cyclorotor concept? I'd be interested in finding out more about it, it seems to be a very peculiar project that peaked my interest. Are there any specifications, dimensions, performance? Is there anyone that was previously involved in the project?

 

[alberchico]

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4671284-joby-aviation-still-not-ready-to-take-flight

 

[martinbayer]

Love that characterization as a "pre-revenue company".

 

[Archibald]

Ha ha, how about "pre-bankrutpcy" ?

 

[Mike Pryce]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760349790297018666

View: https://x.com/MichaelJPryce/status/1760349790297018666?s=20

 

[alberchico]

AutoFlight Makes First Public Intercity Flight of Electric Air Taxi - FLYING Magazine

The uncrewed, fully autonomous flight lasted 20 minutes, shortening a journey that would take three hours by car.

www.flyingmag.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1762437588793606473

View: https://twitter.com/chineseflyer/status/1762437588793606473

 

[TomcatViP]

Sadly:

AutoFlight’s five-seat air taxi—designed for a pilot plus up to four passengers—flew fully autonomous, with no onboard crew.

Not much to see.

 

[DWG]

Sikorsky ‘not confined to rotor blades’ as it unveils tiltwing Hex demonstrator

Sikorsky has shared its vision for a hybrid-electic tiltwing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft called Hex.

www.flightglobal.com

 

[alberchico]

Startup Sora Aviation Sees Opening For 30-Seat eVTOLs | Aviation Week Network

Sora Aviation plans to develop a 30-passenger large tiltrotor eVTOL called the S-1.

aviationweek.com

I feel designing a 30 seat aircraft solely powered by batteries is a bit too ambitious, a hybrid design would be more practical and feasible.

 

[alberchico]

Opinion: Getting Real About eVTOL Startups’ Timelines | Aviation Week Network

Analysis of past type certification efforts shows that current timelines for eVTOL startups are far too optimistic.

aviationweek.com

A realistic appraisal of the ambitious timeliness that many startups are projecting regarding FAA certification.

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

Opinion: Getting Real About eVTOL Startups’ Timelines | Aviation Week Network

Analysis of past type certification efforts shows that current timelines for eVTOL startups are far too optimistic.

aviationweek.com

A realistic appraisal of the ambitious timeliness that many startups are projecting regarding FAA certification.

The article completely omits the Part21 approvals that are the fundamental foundation of certification. These are a massive undertaking for a start up. This article highlights the lack of understanding of the certification process within the eVTOL industry.

 

[Archibald]

Meanwhile at Paris 2024 Olympic games... https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-s...pendant-les-jeux-de-paris-2024-a-vide-2078405

Long story short: yeah sure, you will see them fly. But with no passengers, because no EASA certification in time.

Why you won’t fly in an air taxi at the Paris Olympics

With five months to go before the Olympic flame is lit, the regulatory path is still far from the finishing line

www.politico.eu

Wait,

“Instead, I expect Volocopter to fly under a nationally issued Permit to Fly from the French DGAC [Directorate General for Civil Aviation] on pre-defined and highly controlled routes, with pre-selected non-paying passengers” such as “celebrities, athletes, and probably journalists,” the person added.

Ah, the sacro-sanct VIPs will get their rides. Also journalists. Yeepeeee !

With the chances of getting regulatory approval ahead of the Olympics fading , the German company is already looking to the next big event to showcase the potential of air taxis: the Jubilee Year in Rome in 2025.

That's when people from around the world will trek to the Eternal City to get their sins forgiven, and Hoke hopes that some of that charity will apply to his company as well.

Hilarious. Then again, they are right betting on christianism / catholicism. That religion certainly has a knack at making its VIP fly. Don't forgot Jesus and his mother did ascent to the heavens, rocket style, at a time when EASA and FAA did not exactly existed.

Plus miracles, obviously.

 

[VTOLicious]

I have the gut feeling Lilium slowly arrives in reality. Hence the "Jet" slowly transforms from "VTOL Air Taxi for Average Joe" to "CTOL High Price Toy for VIPs". To be fair, they didn't announce CTOL yet, but I can see at least STOL coming. And it would make much more sense with those tiny fans.

View: https://youtu.be/5yC1YIaiN7U?feature=shared

 

[VTOLicious]

Omg, I think this is the most inefficient airframe one can come up with to carry 3 passengers. Design by committee?
https://verticalmag.com/news/airbus-unveils-cityairbus-nextgen-prototype-ahead-of-test-campaign/
"...CityAirbus NextGen has a wing span of about 40 feet (12 meters) and is powered by eight propellers and 16 electrical power units, with dual systems for redundancy. When in operation, it will carry one pilot with three passengers in a banked seat at the rear of the cabin. Airbus is developing the aircraft to fly with a range of 50 miles (80 kilometers) and reach a cruise speed of 75 mph (120 km/h)..."