A new video showing the progress being made by ZURI’s hybrid VTOL team has been released today. It shows hover tests have been performed at Zbraslavice airport near Prague.
“Key members of the ZURI team discuss work progress in various segments, such as mechanical, electrical, and flight control systems”, said a press release. “The current set of live tests aims to verify previous computer simulations and see how the aircraft behaves in real-life conditions. This includes critical parts of the aircraft, such as battery packs and motors.
“Hover tests give us a unique opportunity to verify the structural rigidity of the aircraft. By analyzing data collected from many sensors during hover tests, the team can determine which parts require further strengthening, how to improve weight distribution, and where we can make actual weight savings.”
A team of 20 experts is currently working on the development of the hybrid VTOL aircraft, where the range of the machine – compared to purely battery-powered aircraft – will be fundamentally increased by a liquid fuel generator, say the project managers. In addition to data from the large-scale demonstrator, they are collecting data from testing a model with a wingspan of 3.5m. The full-scale demonstrator with a wingspan of 11m had its very first hover test last year.
To download the video, please click HERE.