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Singapore firm Neo Aeronautics is set to launch their new eVTOL 1-seater, the Crimson S8, in California late next year. According to founder and CEO Neo Kok Beng, the vehicle is designed for low-level urban air mobility and door to door transportation.

The Neo Aeronautics team From left to right: Charles Ara, Neo Kok Beng, Damian Cheng, Wayne Ong

The Crimson S8 is a 1-seater eVTOL, capable of both manual and autonomous flight, measures in at 15 square meters and can fly at a height of 15 meters with a load of 100 kg. It can fly at speeds of up to 100 kmph (~60 mph), and the current development model can stay airborne for 20 minutes, although Neo Aeronautics says they plan to increase it to at least one hour. The S8 has been designed to fit in the FAA’s ultralight category, meaning that it will not require a pilot’s license to fly. However, the S8 will still require a two-hour training session before the first flight.

The Crimson S8

Neo Aeronautics plans to launch the S8 as a membership service, planning to span their service across 25 cities, 1000 in each city, by 2025. According to Neo, the reason why is that “If we sell unit by unit, not many people can afford it. We are going for the masses so we go by membership services, and we will take care of maintenance and upgrading.”

“Flying the Crimson S8 fulfils our aspiration that everyone can fly as it is as simple as operating a drone,” says founder and CEO Neo Kok Beng

The vehicle is currently going unmanned indoor trials in Loyang, but Neo Aeronautics plans to launch outdoor trials soon. Currently, the company is planning to start flight tests in the US by March of next year. Neo Aeronautics may also possibly approach the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore if it would be possible to launch in Singapore, as well.

Why it’s important: As the 2020s approach, more and more companies are getting close to launching widespread models of their UAM service. The ideal UAM vehicle and service, from everything such as technical specifications to aesthetics will be determined by who comes out on top. Keeping track of which designs and services work, and which ones don’t, will help prospective early adopters of UAM keep ahead of the curve.

Sources // Neo Aeronautics, The Strait Times – Singapore

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Cuberg, a US-based start-up supported by Boeing’s HorizonX and the US Department of Energy, recently released a video of their successful battery test; their lithium metal battery powered quadcopter reported a 70% increase in flight time to a standard lithium-ion powered quadcopter.

Cuberg’s results come from a dissatisfaction with current energy methods. According to Cuberg, the batteries of today are not enough; they don’t store enough energy, can undergo rapid degradation, and weigh too much. The eVTOLs and drones of the future are likely to need a higher performance battery with better safety standards. On top of this, the most prominent issue with lithium-ion batteries is their fire hazard. While the potential to catch fire is incredibly slim in smaller devices, the possibility grows when energy demands are scaled up. When the flammable electrode in a lithium-ion battery is unable to vent the gasses that react with the cathode, the battery can quickly catch on fire and possibly explode, a problem that could be deadly in a drone or eVTOL.

That’s why Cuberg is presenting their own battery. Cuberg has incorporated a thermally stable electrolyte so that even if overheating is present, the battery can remain stable. Another advantage is that their electrolyte can be incorporated into existing lithium-ion batteries. Cuberg states that their mission is to develop a higher performance battery that can serve as a “drop-in solution for off-the-shelf lithium-ion manufacturing equipment” as well, an important factor in order to enter and improve a well established market.

The makeup of Cuberg’s battery. The key difference is in the stable electrolyte, which provides more stability and an increased energy density.

Why it’s important: The current energy methods to power eVTOLs and drones are imperfect. A battery with higher energy density, more security, and potential for easy mass-commercialization will vastly improve performance and have applications in many current markets. One of which would undoubtedly be the UAM market, considering that high safety standards and increased performance are essential needs. Cuberg’s new battery could potentially fill this role.

Sources // Cuberg, Wonderful Engineering

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Russian startup Flyter recently unveiled a new video showcasing its PAC 720-200 VTOL. In a recent press release, the company announced that it is now officially looking for investors to help fund the creation of a prototype.

As of late March, Flyter released a new design of its VTOL vehicle designed for two passengers rather than just one. Other notable changes in the design include the addition of two additional under-wing rotors, a shift in the position of the forward thrust propeller, the removal of the fold-out barriers that once encased the rotor blades, and the elimination of an interchangeable cargo pod. In total, Flyter will now have three models available: both a cargo and passenger version of the 720-200 (capable of a 200kg payload weight), and the original 420-123 model.

The newer 720-200 ‘family’ eVTOL (left) positioned next to Flyter’s first model, the 420-120 VTOL.

The PAC 720 now also has one tail rather than two and eliminates the fold-out barriers that once enclosed the rotor blades. Another important design choice was that the new version the aircraft can carry two passengers rather than just one.

Flyter’s general VTOL design is unique in that it includes the vertical lift rotors under the wing of the aircraft. The company made this choice in order to create what the company calls the ‘Flyt-effect’, which uses an additional lift propellor to add extra efficiency. Flyter has already tested the effectiveness of this design on a small-scale model and is will soon build a full-scale model to further prove the design. The company hopes that building this full-scale stand will help to determine propellor thrust and define the location of thrust propellors on the pylons beneath the beam spar, under the wing console.

Flyter’s computer model of the full-scale test stand it plans on building next

Notably, Flyter has only existed since February of 2018 and has made significant progress since. The latest announcement shows that the company is still very much moving forward. Investors can learn more about Flyter here.

Why its important: Flyter’s unique under-wing design shows demonstrates the multifaceted approach that many companies are taking to UAM. The critical thinking shown here exemplifies the many different possible solutions for UAM aircraft. Additionally, the shift to a two-person vehicle shows that the company is continuing to move toward a market release.

Russia’s Advanced Research Foundation (FPI) is taking another angle at approaching urban air mobility.

The D-Dalus, a conceptual cyclocopter created by IAT21, an Austrian startup company.

The FPI cyclocopter, a technical design thought up by the FPI, is a hybrid eVTOL vehicle driven by rotating, cylindrical wings, with each individual wing composed of many small paddles, or ‘winglets’. Utilizing this design, the cyclocopter can quickly change its direction of thrust by altering the angle of the paddles. Combining the elements of vertical takeoff and landing with conventional forward flight, the cyclocopter is an impressive design based off of the FPI’s conclusion that the their wing design will exhibit the best aerodynamic performance for an airborne vehicle. With better maneuverability than helicopters, a better ability to handle gusts, and significantly lower noise emissions, theoretically, cyclocopters are superior to rotorcraft.

However, the main issue with ‘cycloidal propulsion’ is the scalability of the design. Larger rotor blades like a conventional helicopter blade generate lift through flow over the airfoil. Smaller rotor blades rely on generating lift through utilizing unsteady aerodynamics and leading-edge vortices, like an insect. The latter method is what cyclocopters use, with teams like Professor Moble Benedict’s at Texas A&M’s Advanced Vertical Flight Laboratory successfully building the smallest cyclocopter ever (29 grams). But trying to go larger in size reduces the efficiency of generating lift.

“There is a large rotating structure which has to be carefully designed to be strong enough to handle the large centrifugal loads, and light enough to be used on a flying vehicle,” says aerospace professor Moble Benedict of Texas A&M.

Still, FPI project manager Jan Chibisov is adamant that the cyclocopter is fundamentally superior to helicopters or multicopters.“…[The] cyclocopter is superior in a number of key parameters to multicopters,” Chibisov says. “In particular, with the same dimensions and take-off mass, the cyclocopter requires a much smaller engine power and almost twice the mass of the payload.”

“I personally have been in three helicopter crashes of varying grades during my military career. The cyclo-gyro aircraft design that we had could glide on engine failure. None of the helicopters I crashed in seemed to want to do that.” says David Willis, former CEO of IAT21, most notable for the cyclocopter D-Dalus

In fact, the FPI reports to have finished separately building and testing the power plant, control system, and other components for their cyclocopter, and are now in the process of finishing their final design. Unmanned flight tests are scheduled for 2020 and manned test flights will follow afterwards.

Why it’s important: If successfully built, a car-sized cyclocopter could be more maneuverable, efficient, stable, and environmentally friendlier than most of the UAM vehicle designs and prototypes today. A small, agile flying machine easily able to maneuver in an urban environment with low emissions and noise levels and lower power requirements has obvious implications for the UAM industry, and urban transportation as a whole.

Sources // Popular Mechanics

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One of the most exciting reveals at the AERO Friedrichshafen 2019 in Friedrichshafen, Germany came from the German startup AutoFlightX, who showed off the V600, an eVTOL prototype designed for cargo and passengers.

The V600, AutoFlightX’s prototype eVTOL

The V600, reminiscent of a futuristic P-38, was announced to be all-electric; a technical prototype two-seater intended to qualify under EASA’s new 600-kg threshold for ultralights, as well as to show off AutoFlightX’s work. It possesses six electric motors powering six propellers for vertical lift, with a seventh push-propeller for forward flight. The V600 has separate hover and wing flight propulsion systems, intended to increase the overall efficiency and reliability of the machine.

The company refers to the V600 as an ideal tool for development and as a demonstrator

The V600 was finished a few weeks ago, and AutoFlightX control systems modeling and simulation specialist Michael Krenmayr said that they will be testing it for conventional flight in the upcoming weeks, followed by testing for vertical lift and hover testing. By working out the conceptual design through these rigorous tests, AutoFlightX plan to take their results and apply any fixes needed towards their final product — not yet revealed — while simultaneously garnering interest and buzz around the public.

The company refers to the V600 as an ideal tool for development and as a demonstrator

While not too many details about the final vehicle have been released, Krenmayr did confirm that it will be capable of carrying three to five passengers, and involve some differences from the V600, like propeller placement, in order to meet EASA certification requirements.

Ultimately, AutoFlightX plans to have their final product finished in time for 2023, where it will be ready for cargo flight. AutoFlightX also plans on releasing a manned air-taxi version of their final vehicle a few years after 2023.

AutoFlightX plans to use the later series product – which should have seats for three to five people – fully automatic autonomous flights

Why it’s important: The AERO Friedrichshafen 2019 provides an exciting opportunity to get a glimpse at the upcoming technological innovations in the UAM and aviation industry. With AutoFlightX’s V600, it shows that more and more companies in the industry are going through with the idea of urban air transportation with alternative energy means. The V600 itself will be an interesting comparison to AutoFlightX’s final product in terms of the design and aesthetic changes it will undergo to meet certification requirements and pre-existing regulations, a valuable benchmark for other companies in the UAM industry to take note of.

Sources // AutoFlightX, AeroBuzz

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