Results for: pipistrel

The market for eVTOL leasing is gaining traction as this week, Lobo has signed a letter of intent to lease 5 unmanned Pipistrel eVTOLs to Air Taurus, Ltd.

Air Taurus Limited is an eVTOL operator headquartered in Ireland and a group affiliate of AYR Logistics, a UK-based logistics and aviation services company. Lobo manages aviation investments across the world in both the existing helicopter market as well as the fast-developing eVTOL and advanced air mobility sectors. The two will work together to help

Air Taurus will lease Pipistrel’s Nuuva V300 unmanned eVTOL which is capable of a cruise speed of approximately 120 knots with a cargo capacity of up to 300kg and a maximum range of 300km with reserves. This will enable the company to deliver critical supplies and food to underserved and difficult to reach areas.

Gustavo Semeraro, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Lobo Leasing, said: “We are proud to continue at the forefront of this fast-developing market by bringing a pioneering partnership to develop a financial solution to support AYR’s crucial humanitarian work. AYR is a respected and experienced operator, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with them on finalising this letter of intent. The V300 has the potential to transform the humanitarian aviation sector by bringing an entirely new approach to the delivery of long-standing operational requirements”.

Stephen Lyons, Chief Development Officer at AYR, said: “This marks an important step forward in our plans to introduce unmanned aircraft to the humanitarian sector. We are grateful to Lobo Leasing for their support and the shared vision we have for the humanitarian application of unmanned aircraft.”

The LOI is aligned with the Nuuva V300 development program and targets delivery of the first units to Air Taurus between 2025 and 2026.

Why it matters: Many commercial airliners and business jets are leased to customers rather than bought outright. With lessors entering the aerial mobility space, operators will be able to access eVTOL platforms to advance their businesses with lower direct entry costs. Expect to see similar lessors entering the space as eVTOL makers near commercialization of their production models.

Textron, home to the Cessna, Beechcraft, and Bell aviation brands, has announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase Pipistrel, an award-winning pioneer and global leader in electrically powered aircraft, based in Slovenia and Italy.

With Textron, Pipistrel will have access to greater resources, technical and regulatory expertise, and a global aircraft sales and support network, enabling it to accelerate its development and certification of electric and hybrid electric aircraft. Upon closing of the transaction, Textron plans to form a new business segment, Textron eAviation, focused on the development of sustainable aircraft, which will include Pipistrel.

In 2020, Pipistrel’s Velis Electro became the world’s first, and currently only, electric aircraft to receive full type-certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This achievement followed a series of electric aircraft introductions since the company began research and development of electric propulsion in 2000. Pipistrel’s pioneering work has been recognized through awards from NASA, IDC, and other organizations. The company, which offers a family of gliders and light aircraft with both electric and combustion engines, has delivered more than 2,500 light aircraft worldwide since its founding in 1989 and additionally has both hybrid and electric propulsion models under development.

“Pipistrel puts Textron in a uniquely strong position to develop technologies for the sustainable aviation market and develop a variety of new aircraft to meet a wide range of customer missions,” said Textron Chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly. “Today’s announcement supports Textron’s long-term strategy to offer a family of sustainable aircraft for urban air mobility, general aviation, cargo and special mission roles.”

“Pipistrel has been celebrated as one of the world’s most important and successful manufacturers of electric aircraft,” continued Donnelly. “Textron is committed to maintaining Pipistrel’s brand, headquarters, research and development, and manufacturing in Slovenia and Italy, while making additional investments in Pipistrel for the development and production of future products.”

Pipistrel founder and CEO Ivo Boscarol will remain a minority shareholder as well as Chairman Emeritus, consulting on future product plans and strategies for a two-year period.

“Under my 30-year leadership, Pipistrel’s team has achieved a unique prime position in personal, affordable, environmentally friendly and electric aviation. The trend and foundation for future projects has clearly been set,” said Boscarol. “To drive Pipistrel’s ambitious goals and to continue its story of success, the joining of Textron and Pipistrel provides deep expertise and resources which would otherwise be inaccessible to Pipistrel alone. With Textron, we are together geared to strive for future growth and look forward to announcing exciting new products and projects. I am delighted to continue witnessing my vision become a reality by being actively engaged with the company for the future.”

The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Why it matters: Textron is already entering the eVTOL and electric aircraft market through its own brand, Bell, and will add a good deal of technical expertise with this acquisition. Textron’s brand is predominately US-based however, so the company could face a challenge in allowing Pipistrel to keep its manufacturing and design centers in Slovenia and Italy. However, Textron’s experience in aviation will be a significant advantage for Pipistrel as they seek commercialization of their EASA type-certified electric aircraft.

Airflow, the developer of one of the world’s first all-electric cargo eSTOLs (short take-off and landing aircraft) has partnered with electric aircraft expert Pipistrel to provide propulsion components.

Rendering of Airflow’s cargo eSTOL on the runway

Airflow, the all-electric eSTOL developer founded by several former members of the Airbus Vahana project, has just added yet another partner to its growing list of propulsion providers. While it has selected Verdego Aero for an upcoming hybrid-electric powertrain, and Plug Power for a potential hydrogen-power configuration, electric aircraft expert Pipistrel is now set to provide Airflow’s eSTOLs with motors, motor controllers, and batteries. These will be used on Airflow’s full-scale proof-of-concept prototype, laying the groundwork for the production version of the aircraft.

To date, Pipistrel is the maker of the first and still the only type-certified electric airplane in the world, the Velis Electro.

Pipistrel’s Velis Electro, the world’s first all-electric type-certified airplane.

The initial, cargo-carrying version of the Airflow eSTOL is aimed primarily at ‘middle mile’ transport of e-commerce goods and more. The company claims that its aircraft will be able to effectively replace many middle-mile cargo trucks that take items from shipping ports to warehouses, by providing transport at much higher speeds for only slightly higher costs, while at the same time using much greener energy. Airflow is also targeting hospitals, which often need items transported much more quickly than is possible by truck. The Airflow eSTOL will take-off and land within 150 feet with 500 lbs of cargo, fly at speeds up to 200 mph, with ranges of up to 500 miles depending on power supply configuration.

Said Marc Ausman, Founder and CEO of Airflow, “Pipistrel’s pioneering work in electric flight and their industry-leading experience in building and certifying powertrains for electric aircraft makes them an ideal partner to help us build and fly a first-of-its-kind eSTOL airplane. They understand and can meet the challenges of a high-performance system with the reliability and safety requirements of the aerospace industry.”

Said Ivo Boscarol, CEO of Pipistrel, “We relish working with partners that are pursuing ambitious and achievable goals in electric aviation. The Airflow team understands what it takes to bring a new electric aircraft to market and their experience building and flying the Airbus Vahana makes them one of the best positioned teams to accomplish this.”

Rendering of the Airflow eSTOL in flight

Why it’s important: Pipistrel is becoming an industry-leading expert as an electric propulsion developer and manufacturer. Its recent deal with Airflow, combined with high degree of success in developing and manufacturing its own Velis Electro fixed-wing aircraft, give it a higher degree of validity than many other new players in the space. Airflow meanwhile, is gaining exponential momentum towards certification through this and other partnerships, and with its strategic market positioning, is looking to become one of the first distributed electric-propulsion commercial solutions to hit the market.

Related:

• Pipistrel’s Velis Electro Set to Break 7 World Records During Flight
• Pipistrel and Amazilia Aerospace to develop Heavy Cargo Hybrid VTOL Drone for SF Express
• Airflow Receives Order for 50 eSTOL Aircraft from Ravn Alaska
• Airflow Launches an Electric STOL

Source // Pipistrel

SF Express, the Chinese integrated logistics provider, intends to expand its delivery network fleet through the deployment of large cargo unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability.

To accomplish the expansion, SF Express has partnered with its Munich-based subsidiary, Amazilia Aerospace, and Slovenian aerospace OEM Pipistrel. The synergies achieved via this agreement will ultimately accelerate the development of a commercial large scale UAV operation. Amazilia Aerospace will deliver an advanced digital flight control and vehicle management system for an innovative VTOL cargo drone designed and manufactured by Pipistrel.

SF Express is in pursuit of a VTOL aircraft capable of service in the environment of remote and isolated areas. Specifically, the envisioned aircraft will be able to lift more than 300 kg of cargo in a 2.3m³ volume space over a range of 500km with cruising altitudes up to 6000m and VTOL capability up to 2500m above sea level. Pipistrel specifically designed the aircraft to meet these demanding requirements. Further, the aircraft will be equipped with 8 vertical-lift packages each consisting of a Pipistrel E-811 EASA Type certified powered rotor with highly efficient and redundant battery packs that assure safe operation even if 2 rotors are inoperative. The aircraft design and component production of the prototype will be carried out in Pipistrel facilities.

The Amazilia Aerospace Automatic Flight Control System and Vehicle Management System (AFCS/VMS) is a versatile system that includes both the avionics hardware and software capable of automating the entire cargo mission. It can be integrated into both VTOL and conventional aircraft configurations and has been designed specifically to meet the requirements for large scale logistical operations by logistics companies such as SF Express.

Amazilia Aerospace builds on years of research at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) reinforced with aerospace industry experience. The team will develop and deliver an ACFS/VMS which is compliant to aerospace industry standards. This system is not only compatible with the economics of unmanned aerial cargo transport but also scalable and versatile, which integrates well with a variety of aircraft types and sizes.

The aircraft prototype is scheduled to undergo flight testing with the Amazilia Aerospace system in Europe followed by operational validation in China starting in 2022. By 2023, SF Express intends to deploy the HVTOL cargo drone fleet in their domestic and non-domestic business operations.

Why it’s important: In a well-articulated address of the challenges and opportunities ahead, SF EXPRESS VP & SF UAS Chairman LI Dongqi said the following: “Our efforts to achieve 36-hour countrywide delivery throughout China face significant challenges, such as natural barriers, underdeveloped logistics infrastructure, and more, especially in rural China. SF Express intends to adopt cargo VTOL drones to solve this bottleneck due to their flexibility and high speed, which is on par with helicopters, and has low costs which are competitive with truck delivery. The high-altitude capability allows us to extend our civil air cargo service coverage to even difficult to reach mountainous areas. We believe VTOL drones will become a major vehicle in China, and SF Express alone will need more than 1000 in the next 10 years. ”

Source // Pipistrel press release

Pipistrel has selected Honeywell’s next-generation Attitude Heading Reference System and Air Data Module for its Nuuva V300 cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The technologies provide critical navigation and motion-sensing data and will work in tandem with Honeywell’s Compact Fly-By-Wire system onboard the aircraft.

As described by Honeywell, “if the fly-by-wire system operates as the ‘brain’ of an aircraft’s flight controls, the Attitude Heading Reference System (AH-2000) and Air Data Module (ADM) act as the ‘heart,’ supplying critical motion data to all avionics systems and many mechanical systems. Both the AH-2000 and ADM are key enablers for safe and efficient vehicle operations with potential to serve several flight applications, including urban air mobility vehicles, commercial aircraft, business jets and helicopters.”

“Nuuva V300’s groundbreaking operational concept requires highly accurate, dependable and robust navigation sensors, and the AH-2000 and ADM are key enablers of this functionality,” said Tine Tomažič, chief technology officer, Pipistrel. “This technology allows us to deliver simple and intuitive mouse-click control to fly the vehicle, eliminating the need for operators to be trained with traditional piloting skills, which helps ensure rapid scale-up of operations for our customers.”

Pipistrel’s Nuuva V300 is a long-range, large-capacity, autonomous UAV. It will take off and land vertically with battery power, meaning it does not require a runway, and has significantly lower operating costs than helicopters. It can carry loads up to 460 kilograms (around 1,000 pounds) for more than 300 kilometers (about 186 miles), making it an ideal solution for deliveries to areas traditionally accessible only by helicopter.

“Unmanned aircraft, especially those delivering packages, must be equipped with high-performing inertial systems to ensure fly-by-wire systems are provided the best possible information on location, speed and position,” said Matt Picchetti, vice president and general manager, Navigation & Sensors, Honeywell Aerospace. “Vehicles like Nuuva V300 will change the way logistics companies fulfill package deliveries, and we’re proud to add our growing list of onboard technologies to enhance safety and make flying easier.”

Related: Pipistrel Selects Honeywell’s Compact Fly-By-Wire System for its Nuuva V300 Prototype

The AH-2000 uses Honeywell’s next-generation, industry-leading, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based inertial sensors to deliver aircraft attitude and velocity information. It delivers safety-critical attitude and velocity data to drive the fly-by-wire flight control system and provides navigation data to the fly-by-wire guidance system. This data provides the high level of safety normally seen on commercial aircraft but in a more compact size. This data is necessary for fly-by-wire control, navigation and cockpit displays.

For more information on Honeywell’s advanced solutions, visit the UAS/UAM page on the Honeywell Aerospace website.

Why it’s important: Honeywell is a major player in the emerging UAM segment, offering a full line of avionics, flight control, navigation, radar, communications, actuation, cooling, motors and turbo-electric propulsion systems — all tailored for piloted vertical take-off and landing, urban air mobility and unmanned cargo vehicles. As a major aerospace industry player, the company’s continued pursuit of aerial mobility technology bodes well for both Pipistrel as a customer of Honeywell and the UAM market as a whole.

Pipistrel, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of multiple commercially-available electric aircraft, has now launched a maintenance school exclusively for electric aircraft.

Pipistrel conducts its first electric aircraft maintenance training session.

Pipistrel has been creating electric aircraft for several years already. In fact, they are a market leader for electric aircraft, having already broken world records for distance and performance. In addition to producing all-electric trainer and recreational aircraft, the company has certified its aviation electric motor, worked on developing electric aviation charging infrastructure, partnered with Uber Elevate for its air taxi project, and even begun taking orders for its Nuuva V300 cargo eVTOL.

Now, Pipistrel has further extended its reach into the electric aviation industry by founding the world’s first school for electric aircraft maintenance. The course is five days long, and designed for traditional aircraft mechanics who wish to expand their expertise. Pipistrel’s goal with this program is to train technicians who can then bring their knowledge to other parts of the world where electric aircraft like the Pipistrel Velis Electro and electric VTOL aircraft may soon become more common.

Students in Pipistrel’s new program learn to work on an electric motor.

Pipistrel said in a press release, “Organizing a seminar of this kind is a great achievement and honor for Pipistrel. The road to this point was very long and required cooperation of many individuals and institutions.” The company has already conducted two courses with a third slated for February.

Why it’s important: As electric aircraft become more prevalent, and the age of urban eVTOL aircraft begins to emerge, experts in maintaining and repairing electric air vehicles and their components will become increasingly valuable and sought after. By launching this school now, Pipistrel will put itself ahead of the game for providing electric aircraft maintenance expertise and training.

Source // AVWeb

Pipistrel has selected Honeywell’s Compact Fly-By-Wire system for its Nuuva V300 cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Fly-By-Wire (FBW) avionics will provide the flight control “brains” to the eVTOL prototype and will offer the capability for safe and efficient autonomous operation.

Pipistrel has selected Honeywell to supply a FBW flight control solution for its Nuuva V300 VTOL prototype.

“After years of excellent cooperation in the UAM sector, we chose to work with Honeywell in the development of the Nuuva V300 as well,” said Ivo Boscarol, founder and CEO of Pipistrel Group. “We see this cargo aircraft paving the way for the passenger-carrying Pipistrel 801, our proposed air taxi for Uber Elevate, as both aircraft share similar architectures. Honeywell’s expertise and the proven capabilities of its Compact Fly-By-Wire system will provide airliner levels of safety for our novel air vehicles.”

Honeywell’s compact FBW product offering draws on its decades of experience developing similar flight controls suites for major aerospace OEM’s, but in the form factor of a paperback book. The product is intended for small autonomous cargo and aerial mobility platforms. FBW controls a vehicle’s control surfaces via flight control electronics in lieu of heavy hydraulics, control cables, or push rods. This solution greatly reduces maintenance costs for operators and provides the weight savings needed to make aerial mobility commercially viable.

The Pipistrel Nuuva V300 can carry up to a 660 pound (300 kilograms) payload.

“One of the toughest challenges logistics companies face today is meeting the demand for same-day delivery. Vehicles like Pipistrel’s Nuuva V300 are going to be a real breakthrough in the race to solve this problem,” said Stéphane Fymat, vice president and general manager, unmanned aerial systems (UAS)/UAM, Honeywell Aerospace. “We listened to our customers and built a product that meets the unique needs of this segment, and we’re extremely proud that our Compact Fly-By-Wire system will be guiding these vehicles as they take to the skies.”

Pipstrel’s Nuuva V300 is a long-range, large-capacity, autonomous UAV. It can carry payloads up to 660 pounds and has a range of 186 miles making it an ideal candidate for remote cargo delivery and areas once only reached by helicopters.

Other UAM companies using the Compact Fly-By-Wire system include Vertical Aerospace and Volocopter. Honeywell is also developing systems for autonomous landing, cooling, visual flight control, and even electric engines.

Why it matters: Pipstrel draws on Honeywell’s resume to deliver its flight controls package. Honeywell is well known and well regarded throughout the aerospace industry for its long history in avionics and system components found in traditional commercial and business aviation, and with this announcement further extends itself into the aerial mobility business. For Pipistrel, outsourcing flight control electronics will greatly reduce developmental costs of building its aircraft. Earlier this year, the company began accepting orders for the Nuuva 300 prototype.

Pipistrel’s electric airplane, the Velis Electro, will soon take flight as it prepares for its 700 km trip from Zurich to the North Sea island, Norderney, after obtaining type certification from the EASA. The Velis will fly a total of 700 km (435 miles) across Germany, and will look to break or match seven world records along the way. 

The Velis Electro is an all-electric 2-seater trainer aircraft, and is the upgrade over Pipistrel’s previous Alpha Electro aircraft. The plane possesses a top speed of 181 km/h (112 mph) and a service ceiling of 3,660 m (12,000 ft). As for its power capabilities, the Velis Electro runs on a 60 kW liquid-cooled electric motor running on a 345 VDC electrical system as well as two redundant parallel batteries providing a total of 24.8 kWh of energy, which serve to give the Velis a max range at around 100 km (62 miles), meaning that the airplane will need to recharge a minimum of six times during the trip. A normal recharge of the batteries (from 35% to 95%) takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes. A full recharge (30-100%) takes up to 2 hours.

Pipistrel’s team hopes to break the following records during the flight from Zurich to Norderney:

• Lowest energy consumption (kWh/100 km) over 700 km
• Highest average speed over 700 km (km/h)
• Highest altitude ever reached by an electric aircraft (metre above main sea level)
• Fastest climb performance from 0-1000m / 1000-2000m / 2000-3000m (m/s)
• Highest average speed over 100km (km/h)
• Lowest number of intermediate stops on 700km distance (number of stops)
• Longest electrically flown distance in 24 / 48 / 56 hours (km)

According to team member Marco Bulhozer, “Flying with kerosene is extremely harmful to the climate. Aviation currently accounts for around five percent of the global warming, and the trend is increasing. The emissions at high altitude are a particular problem that arise from air traffic. We want to show that there are alternatives, even if we don’t manage the whole route in one go, CO₂-neutral flying is already possible today! Most small planes fly distances shorter than 200 kilometers anyway, and you could do that electrically.”

Why it’s important: Electric flight is constantly improving, as both demand and innovation continue to head towards environmentally friendly methods of energy. Especially for aerial mobility, where providing transportation that is quick and environmentally friendly is one of its biggest draws,the Velis Electro’s flight can publicly demonstrate that there are alternatives methods of travel such as CO₂-neutral flying and how far electric technology has developed so far.

Source // Clean Technica

Pipstrel has begun accepting orders for its Nuuva series of cargo eVTOL aircraft this week. The flagship model dubbed the Nuuva V300 is a long range/large capacity autonomous eVTOL vehicle optimized for aerial cargo delivery. The cargo vehicle will be able to carry up to 460kg of payload while offering operators with low costs and high efficiency.

The large cargo compartment accepts up to 3 Euro-pallets (EPAL) that can be easily loaded with a regular forklift. The Nuuva V300 then flies a preloaded flight plan fully autonomously, controlled by a highly reliable digital flight control system. Continuous communication allows the ground operator, who manages the vehicle with simple mouse-clicks, to have ultimate control in case of changes or cancellation of the flight.

Nuuva V300 takes-off and lands using eight independent battery-powered Pipistrel E-811 electric engines (already Type Certified). The whole system is safeguarded by the integrated health self‑monitoring system that alerts of any potential malfunction even before it occurs, increasing the reliability and safety.

Nuuva V300 can be customized for a wide range of missions. For operators that prioritize longer range, the vehicle’s payload capacity and anti-ice capabilities can be traded for more usable fuel, being able to transport 50-kg payload for as far as 2,500 km – all this without compromising the ability to take-off and land vertically from altitudes as high as 8,000 ft. At lower take-off altitudes and with shorter mission requirements, the payload can be increased to up to 460 kg.

The smaller sibling of the Nuuva family, the V20, shares the same architecture and advantages of the larger V300 but is designed as a lightweight cargo courier carrying payloads of up to 20 kg. First customers will be able to take deliveries as early as 2021. Expect to see this variant used in final mile delivery services, while the V300 offers intra/intercity transport of cargo goods.

The company is currently targeting an entry into service in late 2023 for the Nuuva V300.

Why it matters: Autonomous eVTOL operation is a excellent opportunity to fully leverage the benefits of aerial mobility with its combination of leveraged technology and pilot-less operation. Pipstrel’s Nuuva series cargo eVTOL prototype will be able to carry large quantities of cargo a long distance to customers while reducing costs all around the value chain.

Pipistrel has obtained a type-certification for E-811 as the world’s first electric engine certified for use in general aviation. The engine, fully certified by European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), is now also available to other aircraft designers and manufacturers globally.

The E-811 engine combines a liquid-cooled electric motor and a liquid-cooled power controller. Offering 57.6 kW (77 HP) of peak power, and 49.2 kW (66 HP) of maximum continuous power, the E-811 is the ideal powerplant for powered sailplanes, UL, LSA and VLA aircraft, where a type-certified engine is required. It may also be installed on Part-23 Level 1 aircraft and other distributed propulsion applications by applying the corresponding special conditions.

Computer drawing of the Pipistrel E-811 electric motor, available to customers through its EASA type certificate.

The E-811 is extremely flexible: the motor’s rotation direction is not factory selected and can be easily adapted to any given application as part of the installation and supports a wide variety of propellers.

The propulsion motor is a state-of-the-art axial flux synchronous permanent magnet electric motor. Lighter and more compact, these motors are also more powerful than radial flux motors, making them ideal for their application in aviation. The engine is entirely liquid-cooled through a single cooling circuit with a mixture of 50% water and 50% glycol. The cooling system is part of the installation and can be provided by Pipistrel.

Now all the other aircraft OEMs can also enjoy the benefits of a type-certified electric engine or boost the development process of their powered sailplanes, UL, LSA, VLA or Part-23 Level-1 aircraft!

E-811 is integrated on Pipistrel’s Velis Electro vehicle prototype.

Why it matters: Pipistrel’s type certification of its electric engine offers an interesting business opportunity. By offering the engine to other OEMs, competitors have the option to reduce their R&D expenses in bringing new aircraft programs to market. Additionally, this business venture offers Pipistrel with additional revenue streams if sales of their Velis Electro vehicle are lackluster. This move also makes Pipistrel the first OEM in aerial mobility to offer its engineered components for sale.

Source: Pipistrel Press Release

After years of intensive research and several successful award-winning electric aircraft models developed since 2007, Pipistrel has achieved a breakthrough feat in aviation history, having type certified the battery powered Velis Electro. Working in tight collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, whose engagement was essential to reaching this unprecedented milestone, Pipistrel demonstrated that its new Velis Electro achieves the highest levels of safety.

Pipistrel has received an EASA type certificate for its Velis Electro aircraft.

Conceived as a fundamental part of the ‘Velis Training System’, the Velis Electro was designed to be simple to operate and maintain, without compromising safety. Employing Pipistrel’s type certified electric engine, the Velis Electro delivers power instantly and without hesitation – using a simplified user interface in a cockpit that maintains the same look-and-feel of its conventionally powered siblings. The reduced number of moving parts dramatically decreases maintenance costs and the risk of malfunctions is further minimized thanks to its built-in continuous health-monitoring system.

This enhanced reliability allows the Velis Electro to have more than double the lifespan of power-train elements in comparison to the previous generation of electric aircraft. The revolutionary power train is entirely liquid-cooled, including the batteries, and demonstrated the ability to withstand faults, battery thermal runaway events, and crash loads as part of the certification process. The overall result of all these breakthrough innovations is a drastic reduction in the operating costs, significantly contributing to the affordability of pilot training.

“The type certification of the Pipistrel Velis Electro is the first step towards the commercial use of electric aircraft, which is needed to make emission-free aviation feasible. It is considerably quieter than other airplanes and produces no combustion gases at all,” said Mr Ivo Boscarol, founder and CEO of Pipistrel Aircraft. “It confirms and provides optimism, also to other electric aircraft designers, that the Type Certificate of electric engines and airplanes is possible. The engine, which Pipistrel type certified separately, is also available to other aircraft OEMs. For Pipistrel, this achievement injects additional motivation for the future eVTOL and multi-seat hydrogen-powered projects. Pipistrel is especially thankful to all our customers for their confidence in our products, which allows us to continue developing these innovative aircraft,” he added.

Ivo Boscarol, Founder and CEO of Pipistrel

Mr Dominique Roland, Head of the General Aviation Department at EASA, expressed: “For EASA, the type certification of this aircraft marks a significant dual milestone: on 18th of May 2020 we type certified its engine as the first electric engine – now we have followed up with the first type certification of a plane flying that engine. This was a truly ground-breaking project which has yielded many learnings for the future certification of electric engines and aircraft, undoubtedly a growth area in coming years in line with the aims of environmental protection.

“It should also be noted that this innovative product was, despite the many challenging aspects, certified in less than 3 years, showing the excellent work performed by Pipistrel and the EASA teams. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the certification team was composed of EASA staff, but included experts from the Swiss and French authorities, in order to prepare and facilitate the entry into service of the Velis Electro in these two countries.”

Mr Paolo Romagnolli, Head of Engineering at Pipistrel, highlighted the technical excellence: “The Velis Electro project has been one of those engineering challenges we like at Pipistrel. EASA Type Certificate is an uncompromised affirmation of the safety of the design. Having achieved this with a relatively small team is proof that young, talented, and motivated professionals can bring innovation into reality. Completing the work nobody else has ever done before makes us all very proud of being members of this engineering team.”

Why it matters: The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the world’s first fully electric airplane ever to receive type certification from EASA. The two-seater, intended primarily for pilot training, is a game-changing aircraft in terms of technological innovations and cost-efficiency. Its EASA certification paves the way for the future of environmentally sustainable, emission-free aviation, particularly in the eVTOL space.

Source: Pipistrel Press Release

From Pipistrel’s Press Release:

Pipistrel and Honeywell combine aerospace expertise to address the technical, regulatory and business challenges of the emerging on-demand mobility market

Pipistrel and Honeywell have signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) to collaborate on developing urban aviation technology. This effort will leverage Honeywell’s avionics, navigation, flight control systems connectivity, and other beneficial products and services onto a future Pipistrel vertical takeoff and landing air vehicle to support fully autonomous operations in the future.

“This is the beginning of a long-term relationship to collectively pursue the future of urban air mobility,” said Ivo Boscarol, Founder and President of Pipistrel. “Honeywell’s expertise in integrated avionics and flight control systems, systems integration, certification and manufacturing, combined with our capabilities in designing and developing advanced light aircraft, makes us the perfect pairing to advance the urban air mobility market. Pipistrel was chosen to be one of Uber’s vehicle development partners for their urban mobility solution, and our VTOL features next generation propulsion technology for achieving embedded lift. We have the concept which unlocks cost-attractive eVTOL opportunity by addressing efficiency and noise hurdles in vehicle lift, hover, and cruise stages of flight.”

Image // Pipistrel

Honeywell possesses more than 100 years of experience pioneering aircraft technologies across every application from commercial airliners to military platforms. This century of expertise and a wealth of technology innovation in avionics, navigation, propulsion and more has positioned Honeywell to effectively collaborate with Pipistrel on defining a future for the emerging urban air mobility space.

“The urban air mobility market is a challenging space, but one that Honeywell is well positioned to support and grow,” said Carl Esposito, president, Electronic Solutions. “Companies looking to make breakthroughs in urban air mobility face a wide range of technical, safety, certification and business challenges that come with developing a new mode of travel in an already very dense air traffic environment. An understanding of the aerospace complexities and legacy of innovative technologies can make all the difference in addressing this emerging market. Pipistrel is a well-known leader in the light-aircraft space, and this is an excellent opportunity to support its vision of a future vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with our industry-leading avionics, flight control systems, and other potential products and services.”  

Pipistrel is a world leading small aircraft designer and producer, specialized in electric-powered aircraft. With 30 years of experience Pipistrel has gained significant international reputation and delivered unique, innovative products to passionate customers on all continents. First-to-fly an electric two-seater in 2007 and first-to-fly an electric four-seat airplane which went on to win the NASA Green Flight Challenge in 2011, Pipistrel has produced more than 1,500 aircraft to-date. The Pipistrel Vertical Solutions team has designed eight different electric aircraft since 2007 and has developed aircraft propulsion systems for NASA and Siemens’s aircraft. The company holds an EASA Design, Production and Maintenance Organization Approvals and has the capability of bringing a new aircraft design concept from a basic idea into a certified design, ready for production.

Why it’s important: This MoU established another partnership in the UAM space that is indicative of a recent trend for collaboration between aerospace companies to leverage individual strengths on the road to certification. By combining expertise, Pipistrel and Honeywell can focus on their strengths, respectively, and still end up with a superior product.

Learn more about Pipistrel’s eVTOL Concept here.

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