The Vertical Flight Society (VFS) announced today that the number of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft concepts being tracked in its World eVTOL Aircraft Directory has now reached 1,000 concepts from more than 430 designers. The directory is part of the VFS Electric VTOL News website, www.eVTOL.news, the world’s first and most extensive online resource on eVTOL aircraft and technology.
When the website was launched in April 2017, a total of 18 known eVTOL designs were included, said the society. All of the companies or concepts listed then are still involved today: Airbus Helicopters, Airbus A3, Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell, Carter Jaunt Aviation Technologies (now Jaunt Air Mobility), DeLorean Aerospace, Detroit Aircraft (now ASX), EHang, e-volo (now Volocopter), Jetpack Aviation (Mayman Aerospace), Joby, Kitty Hawk (now part of Wisk), Lilium, Cartivator (now SkyDrive), Uber (now part of Joby), XTI Aviation (now XTI Aerospace), Zee Aero (now Wisk) and Workhorse (now part of Moog).
“Over the past seven years, designs have been added to the World eVTOL Aircraft Directory at a rapid pace, reaching 100 catalogued concepts by July 2018, 200 by September 2019, 400 by January 2021, 600 by January 2022 and 800 by April 2023. The 1,000th entry, the Doroni Aerospace H1-X two-seat personal eVTOL aircraft, was added this month,” said the VFS. “The Directory includes not only current aircraft under development, but also historical designs, with many defunct designs preserved for the record. For instance, Volocopter is currently working on three products — VoloCity, VoloRegion and VoloDrone — but 15 different designs have been explored, including the single-seat VC007 from more than a decade ago.
“Concepts are included from not only established aerospace companies and startups, but also by individuals, universities and government agencies. The free website site also hosts more than 950 eVTOL news posts, including some 400 in-depth articles from the Society’s Vertiflite magazine, the leading periodical on eVTOL and rotorcraft developments, as well as links to video recordings from conferences and short courses, and other resources.
“Also included in the Society’s remit are technologies that are not uniquely applicable to vertical flight aircraft, including battery-electric, hybrid-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems. Aircraft that use electric propulsion — including eVTOL and electric short- or conventional- takeoff and landing (eSTOL and eCTOL) aircraft — are broadly referred to as electric aircraft or advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft.
In support of the broader electric aviation revolution, VFS has been sponsoring the annual Electric Aircraft Symposium (EAS) — originally started in 2007 by the CAFE Foundation — since 2018. This year’s 18th Annual EAS will once again be held online and in person in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 20–21, the weekend prior to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture 2024, the world’s largest airshow and fly-in. Details on the invited speakers, registration and sponsorships are posted on the VFS website at: www.vtol.org/eas.
(Image: The 1,000th entry, the Doroni Aerospace H1-X two-seat personal eVTOL aircraft, was added this month – VFS/Doroni)