AeroMech Incorporated AM-20 (virtual research eVTOL)

(Image credit: AeroMech)

AM-20 (virtual research eVTOL)
AeroMech Incorporated
Mukilteo, Washington, USA
www.aeromechinc.com

Founded in 1995, AeroMech Incorporated is headquartered in Everett, Washington, USA. AeroMech is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) provider that specializes in airworthiness and aircraft certification, flight testing and provides engineering services to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), airlines, operators, modification shops and military customers worldwide.

AeroMech is actively involved in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and electric and hybrid-electric VTOL and fixed-wing aircraft projects around the world. As the industry advances toward electric and hybrid-electric flight, AeroMech is a key contributor to emerging eVTOL and advanced air mobility programs.

AeroMech's Accomplishments and Services (As of 2025):

• Completed over 425 flight test programs
• Certified over 10,000 aircraft with Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) solutions
• Issued more than 270 FAA Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs)
• Worked with over 20 different civil aviation authorities
• An active member of the Vertical Flight Society, the eVTOL Flight Test Council and the Society of Flight Test Engineers.
• The company also participates in collaborative working groups with the FAA, NASA, standards committees and leading eVTOL developers to shape the regulatory framework for next-generation aircraft.
• The company provides technical leadership in air data system architecture, aerodynamic modeling, design and engineering, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), performance analysis and certification planning. 
• A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) provider that specializes in airworthiness and aircraft certification, flight testing and provides engineering services to many different types of aviation organizations and companies

AM-20 passenger virtual research eVTOL aircraft
The AM-20 is a two passenger virtual research eVTOL aircraft is used to study challenges in certification and flight testing of novel eVTOL aircraft. The virtual aircraft holds one pilot, one passenger and their luggage. The project was started in October 2019. The aircraft designation is AM-20 (also stylized as AM20), where "AM" refers to AeroMech, the developing company, and "20" denotes the internal designation initiated in 2020 for the vehicle platform​. The AM-20 is actively used as a research platform virtually using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation.

The AM-20 started as a research platform aimed at better understanding the aerodynamic and control challenges of eVTOL flight, especially the tricky transition from vertical lift to forward flight. As interest has grown in developing it into a personal air vehicle (PAV), the project has taken off—shaping into a flexible testbed that helps explore flight behavior, system design and what it might take to certify future air mobility concepts.

The estimated cruise speed is 185 km/h  (115 mph), has an expected range of 100 km (62 m), a planned flight time of 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes reserve conventional takeoff and landing [CTOL] in mode) and has a forecasted maximum altitude of 3,048 m (10,000 ft). The aircraft has four VTOL-only ducted propellers, two pusher tilt-propellers, six electric motors and is powered by battery packs. The VTOL propellers are located at the ends of the high main wing. The two pusher propellers tilt so they can be used for both VTOL and forward flight. The design assumes a battery energy density of 250 Wh/kg for performance modeling.

The aircraft has a canopy over the cockpit, has one high main wing, has a combination V-tail with a horizontal stabilizer and has fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite for a high strength to low weight ratio. The high main wing has two support struts located under each of the front wings and are connected to the fuselage.

The initial design of the aircraft was made using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allowing the simulation, quantification and visualization of fluid motion, air flow and temperature. The design also allows engineers to analyze multirotor configurations among other things, on the aircraft.

The company's next steps are to manufacture a ⅕ subscale prototype, then a ⅓ subscale prototype and finally make a full-scale prototype. The full-scale prototype will be designed to be piloted, remotely controlled and have autonomous modes. The full-scale aircraft will hold one pilot, one passenger and their luggage.

It is important to remember that all concept design aircraft specifications are estimated and can or will change as prototypes and production models are made, tested and flown with real world avionics, components and payloads.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Virtual research eVTOL aircraft
• Piloting: Computer controlled. Prototypes will be flown remotely, piloted or have autonomous piloting.
• Capacity: None. (The full-scale prototype will hold 1 pilot, 1 passenger and their luggage.)
• Cruise speed (estimated): 185 km/h  (115 mph)
• Range (estimated): 100 km (62 m)
• Flight time (estimated): 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes reserve (CTOL mode)
• Maximum altitude (estimated): 3,048 m (10,000 ft)
• Empty weight (estimated): 680 kg (1,499 lb)
• Maximum payload weight (estimated): 200 kg (441 lb)
• Maximum takeoff weight (estimated): 880 kg (1940 lb)
• Propellers: 6 propellers. (4 ducted propellers for VTOL flight, 2 pusher tilt-propellers (the pusher propellers tilt for both VTOL and forward flight)
• Electric motors: 6 electric motors
• Power source: Battery packs. The design assumes a battery energy density of 250 Wh/kg for performance modeling.
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Window: Canopy over cockpit
• Wing: 1 main high wing
• Tail: Combination V-tail with a horizontal stabilizer
• Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies in the sub-systems of the aircraft.

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Resources:

• AeroMech Incorporated website
• AeroMech Incorporated LinkedIn
• Video: [Vessel Aerospace UAM] AM-20 (Joint Development UAM eVTOL), Vessel Aerospace, Nov. 9, 2022
• Article: South Korean eVTOL Demonstrator On Show At Incheon Airport Event, Aviation Week, Nov. 15, 2022