Two big names in all-electric aviation have made headlines recently. Alef Aeronautics received FAA certification of airworthiness to begin test flights of its eVTOL car. Joby Aviation received a similar certification for its “production” flying taxi.
This raises the question: What makes Jetoptera different and better?
- Our bladeless propulsion system. We don't use propellers or rotors. It’s safer for passengers, to operate and significantly reduces the takeoff and landing footprint.
- Jetoptera’s technology is 25-30dB lower than any propeller, making it quiet enough to operate anywhere at any time. For the passengers and for the people on the ground.
- Our technology allows for faster flight speeds, proven in flight tests and wind tunnels. In fact, up to Mach 0.8 for a range of altitudes.
- Jetoptera is energy agnostic. We don’t rely on battery technology that’s still 20-30 years away. But we will be able to use it when available.
The central challenge Alef, Joby, and other industry players face is the battery. Current battery technology simply cannot support the declared ranges and safety with passengers or payloads onboard.
The NASA program Maxwell X57 was recently shut down without a single flight after the conventional take-off and landing aircraft equipped with electric motors from Joby were deemed unsafe to fly. That was after 9 years and $47 million over the original $40 million budget! NASA ultimately concluded that the technologies for electric aviation propulsion aren’t sufficiently mature to be safe. I encourage you to listen to the Maxwell cancellation announcement from NASA here.
Of note, NASA’s airworthiness process analysis is far more indulgent than the FAA's, given that the X-57 (now defunct) was an experimental aircraft! We expect the FAA to adjust their certification process for all electric propulsion trains in line with the NASA reports.
Another company, Tecnam, recently quit its efforts to build an all-electric version of its 9-seat transport plane precisely because of battery limitations. See announcement here.
Jetoptera’s propulsion system can operate with a compressor that can run on jet fuel now, as well as hybrid technology, hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and eventually a battery when the technology finally delivers the magic bullet.
I’m happy to answer any questions you may have on this recent news and how Jetoptera is positioned to work with today’s and tomorrow’s energy sources. You can reach me in the comments below!
Invest today in the next generation of aircraft→ wefunder.com/jetoptera.
Thank you,
Andrei
