In this article, John Denslinger explores eVTOL aircraft and suggests it might be time to fasten our seatbelts as the technology is ready for take-off.
In technology, acronyms tend to say a lot about a product. Perhaps the best-known example is EV. EV has become the descriptive moniker for electrification of automobiles. However, under the radar is a lesser known acronym about to take-off and that is eVTOL. eVTOL stands for ‘electric vertical take-off and landing’ aircraft and represents a transformative shift in transportation and aviation technology.
Similar to EV, eVTOL promises to revolutionize urban mobility, mitigate undesirable environmental emissions and potentially operate autonomously. However, unlike EV, eVTOL offers much needed solutions to traffic congestion and transportation efficiency by using available airspace for travel and small pads for take-off and landing versus miles of runways and roads.
The technology behind eVTOLs continues to evolve but designs seem to fall into four configurations.
Multi-rotor: Picture a larger drone with four to eight rotors providing lift and thrust. Good for short-range urban mobility applications like air taxis and cargo delivery drones. Range estimated at 60 miles with a maximum speed of 150 mph. The Volocopter 2X is a good example.
Lift and cruise: Uses separate rotors for vertical lift and horizontal cruise. Range is said to be 150 miles at a maximum speed of 200 mph making it the fastest of the group. Air taxi seems the intended target market. The Joby Aviation S4 is a good example.
Tilt-rotor and tilt-wing: Rotors or wings tilt as needed to vertical for take-off/landing and to horizontal for forward thrust cruising. Projected range is 190 miles at a design speed of 150 mph. Lilium Jet is a good example.
Vectored thrust: Combines fixed wing and rotors vectored to provide both vertical lift and forward thrust. It’s a more complex design offering greater maneuverability. Range reportedly 50 miles at 150 mph. Archer Aviation is a good example.
Like EVs, eVTOL adoption hinges on battery performance, charging infrastructure, regulatory support and public acceptance of the technology. From an operational perspective, the challenge to widespread deployment of eVTOL is finding the right balance of range and payload.
Engineering solutions center on improving battery performance, building-out a supportive power grid and strategically placing high power charging stations where none exist today. Whether it’s air taxi or cargo delivery, operators see this combination as mission critical to optimizing eVTOL uptime and revenues.
On regulatory matters, it’s a new frontier! Urban air mobility necessitates the creation of specific flight corridors, vertiports and secure passenger transit terminals. It requires new guidance for safety and standards for noise abatement, especially in intra-city environments. In some locations, compliance may unfortunately limit flight paths and hours of operation.
And finally, will the public perceive enough advantage? Judging by the recent number of strategic partnerships formed between vehicle manufacturers and major airlines/aerospace firms, it appears investors are betting the public will respond enthusiastically. Afterall, air taxis will offer convenience and time savings in congested environments, outperforming any land travel alternative. It’s time to fasten your seatbelts, eVTOL is about to take-off.
