After powered flight was achieved in 1903 and the implementation of jet propulsion arrived
in the 1940s, electric vertical take-off and landing technology, or eVTOL, is opening the
way for a third major transformation that could change the aviation industry for decades to come.
The US Air Force knows how crucial it is to spearhead the evolution of aviation technology
and keep innovating to deter hostile forces and protect its global assets.
As such, it is empowering their innovation arm, the AFWERX,
to propel a groundbreaking project that will accelerate the technology.
The initiative, code-named Agility Prime, was launched in 2020
and has assembled many of the most promising aviation manufacturers in
the United States to develop eVTOL technology, systems, and aircraft.
The program is taking advantage of the significant advances in electric propulsion
and the growing need for new vehicles for urban air mobility to kick start a new industry:
electric aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically under any condition.
Still, the ambitious project has numerous obstacles and fierce competition to overcome,
but if all goes according to plan,
the technology could also jumpstart civilian applications such as urban
air taxis and aerial delivery systems, paving the way for a new revolution in aerospace mobility…
eVTOL Technology
The abrupt and relentless progress that remote-controlled camera drones have
shown in the last decades has attested to the reliability and efficiency of
electric vertical take-off and landing systems. And the world has been eagerly
waiting for such technology to reach the point of transporting human beings.
In 2009, the objective looked closer when NASA published a Youtube video titled
“NASA Puffin Low Noise, Electric VTOL Personal Air Vehicle,” showcasing a
fascinating personal electric aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically.
The relatively small device was only fit to carry a single person.
In the animated demonstration, the pilot took off on a standing position, and once the
aircraft reached cruising altitude, he assumed a horizontal position like a caped superhero.
The concept seemed straightforward enough; however, it captured people’s
imaginations around the globe, and the video soon went viral.
Before that date, not much effort had been put into the concept of VTOL personal aircraft
as the electric propulsion systems necessary to
make them a reality were still in their early stages of development.
However, by the time the video exploded on the internet, advances in electric propelling
systems had come a long way, so much so that after the footage became popular,
major aviation corporations expressed their interest in developing VTOL technology.
Not only did major aeronautics manufacturers begin to invest in the technology,
but by 2011 new organizations had formed with the sole purpose of developing it.
Uber, the iconic mobility service provider, became interested and published a research paper
a few years later outlining a project called Elevate, which assessed the viability of an
on-demand aviation transportation system based on electric vertical take-off and landing technology.
Another private company pioneering the eVTOL industry is Tetra Aviation, whose unique
design won the “Disruptor Award” at the 2020 GoFly personal flight contest for its single-seat eVTOL.
Then, in 2021, the company announced its Mk5 personal eVTOL
and anticipates delivering it by 2022.
Their vehicle features 32 vertical lift rotors spread across the long, thin front and rear wings,
along with a rear pusher prop for cruising. If successful, the Mk5
will provide a commercially available aircraft as easy to operate as a modern camera drone.
Many other private eVTOL projects are being developed around the world,
but the most ambitious by far is Agility Prime. Not only does it have the technological and
financial support of the US Air Force, but it also has recruited numerous key aviation
manufacturers such as Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, Lift Aircraft, and Kitty Hawk.
Agility Prime
AFWERX’s mission is to identify and accelerate innovation in aerospace
mobility through the creation of collaborative programs between innovators and entrepreneurs
in the network of operations of the United States Air Force.
Thus, their interest in potentializing eVTOL technologies couldn’t be more significant.
When addressing the implications of the Agility Prime program, AFWERX Director Cole Nathan Diller
said: (QUOTE) “The ability to move through the air has made phenomenal things for the
security of our nation. If we can find new ways of doing that… It literally lifts us up as a force.
It’s an opportunity to democratize air travel for our airman and for our nation.”
In simple terms, Agility Prime is an initiative that puts Air Force technology,
equipment, experience, and resources in the hands of a select group of private aircraft
innovators and manufacturers to accelerate the development of the eVTOL aircraft of the future.
It also intends to integrate three key technology areas, including electric,
autonomy, and manufacturing, by using electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems,
increasing Simplified Vehicle Operations, and using advanced processes and materials.
But its extent goes beyond that; the ambitious program also incorporates
collaboration with the US Army for developing transformative vertical lift capabilities.
This means that private developers working on eVTOL vehicles not only get the experience and
support of the Air Force, but they also get to work with the Army and receive their input.
Major John Tekell, Agility Prime’s lead, explained: (QUOTE) “The Agility Prime efforts
reduce the risk for technology, regulatory, and financial aspects of the eVTOL industry,
increasing the pace of development, and paving the way for early operations of eVTOL aircraft
for both military and commercial applications.”
AFWERX’s commitment to the technology that could become a watershed in aviation history
is absolute; proof of this can be seen in the construction of the new advanced urban
air mobility technology simulator facility at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport near
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio.
The state-of-the-art Springfield facility is fitted with every possible testing accommodation
needed to develop safe and reliable eVTOL applications.
Currently, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation,
and LIFT Aircraft make use of the compound to test their prototypes and run simulations.
The advantage of having a location specially built to simulate urban mobilization scenarios
allows the developing companies to stay ahead of the competition.
At the same time, the Air Force makes sure that the United States becomes the
spearhead of the technology set to change the world of aviation.
The Road Ahead
Even when the AFWERX Agility Prime initiative has
possibly accelerated the development of eVTOL technologies by a factor of several years,
the roadmap still shows many obstacles that must be overcome.
Many of the applications of remote-controlled camera drones, such as autonomous drone
delivery services, were infamously halted in the United States by regulations and risk concerns.
Self-driving cars also presented significant barriers like the ones encountered by drones.
Suppose AFWERX wishes to help jumpstart a massive eVTOL taxi industry in the US;
in that case, it must skillfully manage the developing implications and the manufacturing
costs, materials, and political implications that the new technology will entail.
Unless significant efforts are made to unite raw material processing companies,
manufacturers, developers, lawmakers, and entrepreneurs
into creating a whole new industry, the US could lose its competitive advantage.
It is up to programs such as Agility Prime to make sure the next revolution in Aviation
Technology stays within reach of the United States and its Allies around the world.
Thank you for watching our video! What are you looking forward to the most regarding
eVTOL technology? Please let us know in the comment section below. And to find more amazing
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