Month: August 2021

DHL Express has placed an order for 12 fully electric Alice eCargo planes from Eviation, the Seattle-area based global manufacturer of all-electric aircraft. With this engagement DHL aims to set up an unparalleled electric Express network and make a pioneering step into a sustainable aviation future. Eviation’s Alice is a leading fully electric aircraft, which enables airlines – both cargo and passenger – to operate zero-emissions fleets. Eviation expects to deliver the Alice electric aircraft to DHL Express in 2024.

Mock-up of Eviation Alice’s DHL cargo version. The passenger version of the aircraft has already been prototyped at full scale and is undergoing testing.

 “We firmly believe in a future with zero-emission logistics,” says John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “Therefore, our investments always follow the objective of improving our carbon footprint. On our way to clean logistics operations, the electrification of every transport mode plays a crucial role and will significantly contribute to our overall sustainability goal of zero emissions. Founded in 1969, DHL Express has been known as a pioneer in the aviation industry for decades. We have found the perfect partner with Eviation as they share our purpose, and together we will take off into a new era of sustainable aviation.”

Source: DHL Press Release

Related:

• Eviation Unveils Production Configuration for its Alice Electric Aircraft
• Eviation Recieves a MagniX Electric Propulsion Unit for its ‘Alice’ Aircraft
• UPS Places Order for BETA Technologies eVTOL, EIS in 2024

Additional airlines are following in the jetstream of United Airlines to purchase eVTOL aircraft to better develop their service offerings in a future mobility landscape, building upon the already sizeable list of smaller regional mobility companies that have already made commitments to electric fixed wing aircraft and eVTOL’s alike.

Virgin Atlantic shared earlier this year in June that it has options for up to 150 aircraft from Bristol, UK based Vertical Aerospace, and Brazilian carrier Azul also just recently announced intentions to purchase up to 220 eVTOL’s from German Lilium, in a stalwart deal that could top $1 billion.

Shown above is the Lilium Jet, the eVTOL that Azul would operate under its new purchase agreement with Lilium. Image // Lilium

The Virgin Atlantic-branded service would use fully-electric, zero emission VA-X4 aircraft, which can carry up to four passengers in addition to the pilot, and have a range of over 100 miles, and presumably Azul would use the Lilium Jet to move passengers from point to point.

United Airlines’ announcement and options to order up to 200 Archer Aviation eVTOL’s round out the growing list of main line carrier orders, but eVTOL’s making inroads to other portions of air travel don’t stop there – regional mobility carriers such as California based Surf Air have options for electric regional aircraft, which are a step closer toward aerial mobility, Vancouver-based Seaplane operator Harbor Air has already test flown an electric DHC-2 Beaver aircraft, and Blade Urban Aerial Mobility has announced multiple preferred options contracts with varying eVTOL partners allowing its operators to purchase the next generation of regional mobility technology and allow then customer to enjoy the benefits of more efficient, quiet, and automated transport.

Why it’s important: Airlines are investing in the progression and advancement of the eVTOL industry, even when most are cash-constrained and also prioritizing operations in the black following recovery from the pandemic. However, investment opportunities to get in on the ground floor early for aerial mobility are too lucrative for mainline carriers and smaller regional upstarts alike, which is why a growing list of air carriers are publicly declaring their interest (and some making commitments and investments) toward aerial mobility offerings in the future.

Source // Virgin Atlantic and Lilium Newsrooms

PteroDynamics is currently developing an eVTOL aircraft design based on a very unique concept. Called the Transwing eVTOL, PteroDynamics’ aircraft incorporates a patented folding wing design, where propellers on propulsion pods are distributed down a set of wings that can fold back on dihedral pivot points along the wing. The folding mechanism is controlled by control rods attached to actuators on the main body, and when the wings are completely folded, the props point upward, in a similar configuration to a basic multicopter design. Compared to a tilt-rotor design, where the cabin must “tilt” in order to travel horizontally, the Transwing design is described as “aerodynamically benign”, meaning that there is no loss of control at any stage of the wing’s transition from folded to extended. 

The 6 ft. wingspan prototype model of PteroDynamics’ aircraft. Photograph: PteroDynamics

This design potentially allows for both the compact size of a standard tilt-rotor eVTOL, but the efficiency and control from a fixed wing aircraft with a broad wingspan, meaning the Transwing could have all the advantages of most standard compact eVTOL designs as well as the larger, fixed-wing designs with few to none of the drawbacks from either. According to PteroDynamics, “Transwing aircraft have much greater range, endurance, and cargo carrying efficiency as compared to all other VTOL designs.” And “given any aircraft footprint size and payload requirements, Transwing aircraft will fly several times as far as any VTOL competitor.”

A depiction of how the aircraft transitions between folded and extended wings. Photograph: PteroDynamics

So far, PteroDynamics has developed and tested prototype Transwings with 4.2-ft, 6.6-ft and 12.3-ft (1.3, 2 and 3.5-m) wingspans. As the Transwing is still in development, it remains unclear as to how well the pivot points on the wings can be refined, which will be critical for the success of the aircraft. As for the company’s plans, so far PteroDynamics plans to offer licenses for its patented technology as well as manufacturing and flight services as well, where the Transwing would be used for small-scale cargo transportation, military applications, as well as passenger transportation. According to a statement to FutureFlight, PteroDynamics will soon be establishing a 9,200 sq. ft. engineering facility in Colorado for the purpose of furthering R&D operations, and could soon sign off on a deal that would have the Transwing paired with an experimental license within 12 months. 

Why it’s important: PteroDynamics’ Transwing is an ambitious design that seeks to take advantage of the efficiency and stability of a fixed-wing design while negating the disadvantages, mainly the overall size from the wingspan and maneuverability. Such a design will have its own drawbacks in both development and lifespan, where PteroDynamics ambitious goals will require a more complex design than many of their competitors, increasing the difficulty in both development and maintenance. However, a successful implementation could lead PteroDynamics to overtake their competitors as well as the industry as a whole.

Source // New Atlas