At the upcoming Paris Air Show, European consortium Neva Aerospace will be presenting a new concept for a personal VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft. Known as AirQuadOne, plans call for the fully-electric vehicle to be able to reach a maximum altitude of 3,000 ft (914 m) and travel at top air speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), with one charge of its battery pack being good for 20 to 30 minutes of flight time.
That battery, which will make up about 100 kg (220 lb) of the aircraft's 500-kg (1,102-lb) total weight, will be compatible with direct-wire or induction hardware at electric car recharging stations. It should also be possible to simply pull a spent battery out and swap it for a fully-charged replacement.
Plans call for there to be both manned and unmanned versions, both of which will have a payload of up to 100 kg. There may also be a semi-electric hybrid model, which would have a flight time of about one hour. All models will feature a body made from recycled carbon fiber.
Neva is currently developing the swivelling shrouded electric turbofans that will be used to provide thrust, and is anticipating that the aircraft will be certifiable under the Light Aircraft category within the US and European Union. Users will reportedly have 24/7 traffic management support when flying, along with an emergency satcom connection.
There's currently no word on when a functioning prototype may be ready.
Source: Neva Aerospace via sUAS News
