Military eVTOL developer Jetcopter reports on social media that while all the details can’t be disclosed, the company has released an image of its aircraft with rear propulsion on the fixed landing gear. “As we can see, Jetcopter’s intentions are to go for an eVTOL with more than 10 passenger seats” says the company’s Don Skulski.
“Till now the largest, 6 seats eVTOL was presented not long ago by Lilium – so how will such seats numbers be possible?” asks Skulski in the post. “Multicopters usually end with 4-6 seats. Jetcopter didn’t go with the mainstream of eVTOL developers, which found the ”simple and attractive” way to use EV electric motors. Just simply fit the motor/propeller on the glider at any place. Distributed propulsion was announced as the next engineering miracle.
“Jetcopter will use helicopter layout to achieve much bigger lifting forces. Yes, previously the guru of all eVTOLs developers Uber announced that copters are expensive to use. That was true. True for the helicopter version 1.0.
“But for now Jetcopter will bring version 2.0 where all Uber mentioned issues were solved.
At Jectopter we think that eVTOL problems won’t end with the certification executing, but will start.
“Together with the new rules for eVTOL certification, the first eVTOL developers also will need to invent new rules for eVTOL pilots licensing if they will want tens of thousands new pilots and fast. As the Uber drivers option from third world countries won’t play in aviation.
“There is a huge global shortage of airplane pilots and even greater shortage of helicopter pilots. The heli pilot license costs are significantly higher than for an airplane pilot license and thus do not expect eVTOL pilots to agree on Uber drive salary. Very likely all profit will go to the pilot salary if your eVTOL will have 1-2 seats.
“Second problem – UAM developers declare that soon it will fly hundreds and thousands eVTOLs in the urban areas. Ok, so the enormous spread of micro aircrafts in the lower altitudes of urban areas will require the next gen of space scanning / tracking /collision avoiding equipment. The recent systems aren’t able to track thousands of aircrafts in the urban areas, so regulators won’t allow the mass in the sky, at least till they will be able to manage that.
“While participating in the defence programs Jetcopter also develop the civil version of its military counterpart.”
For more information
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7203656204185718784/
(Image: Jetcopter)