eVTOL
WHAT IS eVTOL?
- Aircraft that uses electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically
- Most eVTOLs also use what is called distributed electric propulsion technology which means integrating a complex propulsion system with the airframe
- There are multiple motors for various functions, to increase efficiency and to also ensure safety.
- This technology has grown on account of success in electric propulsion based on progress in motor, battery, fuel cell and electronic controller technologies and also fuelled by the need for new vehicle technology that ensures urban air mobility.
- evtol has been likened to a third wave in an aerial revolution, the first being the advent of commercial flying and the second the age of helicopters
WHY ARE THE DEVELOPMENTS IN POWERING eVTOLs?
- The role eVTOL adopt depends on battery technology and the limits of onboard electric power
- Power is required during the key phases of flight such as take-off, landing and flight
- There is also the important factor of weight
- BAE systems for example is looking at formats using a variety of Lithium batteries
- Nano Diamond Batteries is looking at Diamond Nuclear Voltaic technology using minute amounts of carbon -14 nuclear waste encased in layered industrial diamonds to create self-charging batteries
WHAT ARE CHALLENGES
- Cash prevention system- these use cameras, radar, GPS AND infrared scanners
- Ensuring safety in case of power plant or rotor failure
- Aircraft protection from cyber attacks
- Navigation and flight safety and the use of technology when operating in difficult terrain, unsafe operating environments and also bad weather
HOW DID IT BEGIN
- NASA researcher Mark D. Moore who came up with the concept of a personal air vehicle while working towards his doctorate .called the Puffin and thought of in 2009-10
- A prototype was unveiled in 2010 and the concept was discussed at a conference on aeromechanics in 2010
- In his paper NASA Puffin Electric Tailsitter VTOL concept Moore described –electric propulsion as offering dramatic new vehicle mission capabilities but the only penalizing characteristic being the current energy storage technology level
ARE THERE ANY BIG PLAYERS NOW
- Since then there have been a number of ideas by industry, such as volocopter VCI from Germany and the Opener Blackly from the U.S
- The top aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing have also joined the race
- Airbus unveiled its prototype, Vahana Alpha One or the Airbus Vahana at the Paris Air Show in 2017
- Airbus then shifted to the City airbus project which has propellers and direct–drive electric motors
- Boeing is working on the Boeing passenger Air Vehicle, as an American autonomous personal air vehicle prototype
- A Company Lilium started in 2015 and claims to be the developer of the first all-electric vertical takeoff and landing Evtol jet, it says that the concept looks to connect towns and cities at speed of up to 300km/h, it has called this as aimed at Regional Air Mobility which it clarifies is not to be confused with Urban Air Mobility-connecting Intra –city points over shorter distances or less than 20 km
- China, Israel and the U.K. to have programmes to look out for
HOW DOES ONE GET AN IDEA OF THE KINDS OF eVTOLs?
- It Started in 2016 and listing half a dozen known designs, it has now progressed to categorizing almost all known electric and hybrid eVTOLconcepts.
- Categorised are vectored Thrust where any thruster is used for lift and cruise, Hover Bikes /Personal Flying Devices which are single-person Evtol aircraft and in multicopter-type wingless configurations, Lift and Cruise where independent thrusters are used for cruise and lift without any thrust vectoring, wingless or where there is no thruster for a cruise but only for lift and Electric Rotorcraft or Evtol that use a rotor such as an electric helicopter or autogyro
WHAT ABOUT CERTIFICATION
- In March, the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority announced being engaged in discussions focused on facilitating certification and validating new Evtol aircraft, their production, continued airworthiness, operations and personnel licensing.
- The FAA has clarified that it plans to certify eVTOLs as powered-lift aircraft (an existing category) but in future, develop additional powered-lift regulations for innovation in operations and pilot training
- It plans to use a special class process in 14CFR 21.17(b) to oversee the unique features of emerging powered lift models
- But this certification will use the performance-based airworthiness standards found in part 23 of the FAA regulations
HOW WILL IT BE IN INDIA?
- The blade is an urban air mobility company that aims to connect places that are heavily congested and also not well connected by air services.
- The concept of Advanced Air Mobility comes in i.e. connecting places through vertical aircraft and thus skipping road travel. This is being done by now helicopters, but eVTOLs will step into this space.
- The Blade U.S is currently working with electric vertical aircraft (EVA) manufacturers such as Beta Technologies and has partnered with them for an all-electric fleet by the year 2024
- eVTOL is noise-free, has a zero carbon footprint and is more affordable.
- Beta technologies and other EVA manufacturers have been extended an invitation to manufacture in India.
- Amit Dutta, Managing Director, Blade India is the chairperson of the Confederation of Indian Industry Taskforce for Urban Air Mobility. In his suggestions for policy and regulation changes to better integrate EVAs, he has advised regulatory authorities in India to look at formulating regulations for pilotless vehicles, airworthiness certifications, and the need for a pilot’s licence, implementing efficient energy management systems, onboard sensors, collision detection systems and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, having in place infrastructural support such as takeoff and landing zones, parking lots, charging stations and what are called vertiports, creating a robust air traffic management system that is integrated with other modes of transportation, and putting in place a database to ensure operational and mechanical safety
- There are psychological barriers that need to be overcome when it comes to flying in a fully autonomous aircraft
- The current timeline for certification with India’s Directorate General of Civil aviation is two years
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE MARKET?
- The global market for eVTOLs was put at dollar 8.5 million in 2021 and is to grow to dollar 30.8 million by 2030
- The demand will be on account of green energy and noise-free aircraft, cargo carrying concepts and the need for new modes of transport
