Volant Aerotech VE25
william.moore@…
Mon, 08/12/2024 – 13:11
The VE25 is a lift-plus-cruise eVTOL in development by Shanghai Volant Aerotech Co., Ltd. Entry into service is expected in 2027 with certification coming from the Civil Aviation Authority of China. Flight testing of a prototype variant of the aircraft began in January 2023. Volant have approaching 1000 orders of the VE25.
Structure and Powertrain
The VE25 seats a pilot and four passengers within its carbon fibre composite fuselage featuring large viewing windows. The aircraft has a high-wing configuration, with four adjacent booms extending to the front and aft, the innermost booms connecting the wing and V-tail. The aircraft configuration ensures that the fuselage and passengers will remain safe in the event of a rotor explosion. Propulsion is provided by two pusher propellers mounted on the rear of the tail, a further eight lift fans are positioned on the wing-mounted booms. All fans are powered by an individual electric motor.
Distributed electric propulsion (DEP) is the name given to this method of powering aircraft. No critical points of failure provide a high level of redundancy and will ensure safety onboard.
Specifications
| Aircraft Type | Lift-plus-cruise eVTOL |
| Seats | Pilot+4 |
| MTOW | 2,500kg/5,512 lbs. |
| Landing Gear | Skid-style landing gear |
| Cruising Speed | 235kph/146 mph, economic cruise speed 200kph/124 mph |
| Range | 200km/124 miles |
| Propulsion | Propulsion is provided by two pusher propellers mounted on the rear of the tail, a further 8 lift fans are positioned on the wing-mounted booms. |
| Power/Energy Storage | All-electric, battery details unknown |
| Flight Controls | Unify fly-by-wire integrated flight surface control and thrust/lift control |
| Takeoff & Landing | VTOL |
| Autonomy | No |
Avionics
Combined fly-by-wire flight control, integrated flight control and thrust/lift control. High integrity and high reliability civil aviation triple-redundant flight control computer with independent command channel and monitoring channel. The cockpit integrated avionics system integrates flight instrument display, warning, navigation, monitoring, control panel, MCDe, onboard maintenance, energy management and other system software.
