Another eVTOL Model Completes Manned Transition Flight
Posted by AdExtreme1002@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 29 comments
The VE25-100, developed by Volant Aerotech, completed its first manned transition flight a few days ago, Zigong, China.
This aircraft features an 8+2 propulsion configuration, utilizing eight motors to provide vertical lift and two for forward thrust.
During the day's flight maneuvers, the eVTOL successfully executed a vertical takeoff, transitioned flight mode, and performed a landing; however, it remains unclear whether the test flight was conducted under manual pilot control or via an autonomous flight system.
The aircraft's developer, established just four years ago, has recently secured a Series C funding round totaling 1 billion RMB.（Original Content）
KHWD_av8r@reddit
Manned eVTOLs, I’m cautiously optimistic about. Fuck the unmanned ones. Pilotless passenger aircraft? Not over my head, and not with me inside!!!!
ResortMain780@reddit
There really is not much point in having a human pilot in a evtol. Its not like he is doing much of anything "manually". It basically flies like an oversized DJI drone and is 100% dependent on computers adjusting motor torque 100s or 1000s of times per second.
TheSneakster2020@reddit
Next up: testing how well the vehicle maintains its flight attitude and altitude with one or two motor failures
Maclunkey4U@reddit
Did you see that shimmy the thing had? I dont think its much of a leap to say probably not well.
Got_Bent@reddit
I noticed it in the first shot of the pilot, and then in the next shot, it was shaking quite a bit. It only flew the distance of the runway at a pretty slow speed. The wing looks to small for high lift flight. I thought the wing had to be thicker (boom-chica-bow)?
ResortMain780@reddit
Totally expected. When you transition from vertical to horizontal flight, you fly with a stalled wing by definition. It also wont help when both lift and forward motors are running and influencing each other and the airflow over the wing.
TheSneakster2020@reddit
That horizontal shimmy would seem to be caused by failure to properly balance one or more of the rotor assemblies on the bench before assembling the vehicle. On top of that, the airframe must have at least one resonant frequency that unfortunately coincides with rotor vibration.
ResortMain780@reddit
This is a solved problem, and trivial when you have 8 lift motors. If you lose just one or two, you dont even have to do anything, the existing PID control loops will take care of it "automagically". With clever algorithms you can maintain control with a lot more motors out, but at that point you likely cant maintain altitude. Which is why those evtols usually have a ballistic recovery parachute.
The real question with these evtols is not safety; they are inherently more safe than airplanes or helicopters. The issue is efficiency.
TheSneakster2020@reddit
That does not mean that the solution is (a) implemented properly or (b) works reliably on this new vehicle. When safety-of-life is at issue, assume noting. They must test the hell out of it.
FlyingRed@reddit
I’d imagine it shuts down the parallel motor to maintain stability. Must be able to fly with one or two failures, otherwise what’s the point.
TheSneakster2020@reddit
Well, if the fly-by-wire system is programmed to do that, they will have to test it, no ?
claws76@reddit
Genuine curiousity; why are these not called helicopters?
XFizicist@reddit
These use thrust to take off like a helicopter but then transition to forward flight to take advantage of traditional wing for lift, like an airplane. A helicopter just has to keep beating the air to stay in the sky…like treading water. These don’t. That makes them more efficient aerodynamically and MUCH quieter than a helicopter.
Familiar-Nothing4948@reddit
Except for the vtol capabilities, is there any other upsides compared to an airplane?
Imaginary-Media-4856@reddit
As far as the use case, a lot of the companies claim “transporting people to larger airports” or “UBER replacement” as use cases but there’s also short range transport (like personnel to oil rigs) or medical transport that seem more plausible. One advantage is noise reduction.
Epiphany818@reddit
Because they have wings for forward flight and also multi-rotors generally control their flight differently (differential thrust vs cyclic pitch).
There is a degree of overlap between the two classes of vehicle though E.g. tandem helicopters like the Chinook. And weird outliers like the osprey
The three categories (relevant to this discussion, there are more, I know) are air plane, multirotor and helicopter. You can have an aircraft that fits into one box or a mix of 2.
Being as pedantic as possible, this is a multi-rotor VTO/L airplane but just prior lump all electric VTO/Ls into the same category because they're broadly similar in capability.
Jedski89@reddit
I like how at some point in the video he realises the dots on his gloves are meant to be on the palm side. And then they flick back to being the wrong way round lol.
SpaceMonkey_321@reddit
Grandpa with gardening gloves, safety vest and no fire retardant suit nor helmet on test flight. Right back at ya Wright bros
AdExtreme1002@reddit (OP)
I'm not sure if it's on autopilot; his hands might just be resting on the controls.
airport-codes@reddit
I am a bot.
^(If you are the OP and this comment is inaccurate or unwanted, reply below with "bad bot" and it will be deleted.)
Jazzlike_Climate4189@reddit
bad bot
AdExtreme1002@reddit (OP)
bad robot
BoringBob84@reddit
Oh my goodness, that thing is ridiculously and unnecessarily complex! Those 8 (eight, wow!) lift motors will create enormous drag in fixed-wing flight.
Otherwise_Anxiety485@reddit
Look at that vibration on the instruments
FlyingRed@reddit
Some of the Sikorksys I fly shake just as bad 😅
FlyingRed@reddit
Looks cool! I’m a corporate helicopter guy right now, but I’m excited to see new technology coming into the market.
TemperatureFinal5135@reddit
I'm a layman.
When you said, "I'm a corporate helicopter guy", I pictured Blackout from the Transformers wearing business attire while pounding his fist on the table about profit margins.
I believe you meant to convey that you either professionally fly, or particularly enjoy helicopters... but again, I am just some guy who kinda likes airplanes (relatively)
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AdExtreme1002@reddit (OP)
Original Content