Aeronext Flying Gondola
Flying Gondola
Aeronext Inc.
Tokyo, Kantō, Japan
www.aeronext.com
Aeronext was founded on Apr. 11, 2017 by Director & CTO Yoichi Suzuki with the head office located in Tokyo, Japan. Its CEO is Keisuke Toji. As of Dec. 2019, the company is reporting on their website they have $153,400,000 million JPY ($1.4 million USD) in capital. The company is a manufacturer of small drones, has drone consulting services, and is a research and development company of small drones and passenger drones.
A Oct. 14, 2019 Facebook Fan Page post announced that Aeronext created their “Flying Gondola” passenger hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Their new VTOL aircraft is designed for safety and comfort. The company's current aircraft holds one passenger but their next model will hold at least four passengers.
The aircraft has forward and rear tilting wings, each with four propellers. Each wing tilts to the best angle for take-off and forward flight, during turbulence and landing. The company's own proprietary software and hardware allows the movement of the wings and propeller speed to keep the fuselage of the aircraft to remain horizontal and minimizes swaying at all times, for a more comfortable ride for passengers during all portions of flight. Notice the front of the fuselage is the circular portion of the fuselage and the rear of the aircraft is the angled part.
The company has built a ⅓ sub-scale prototype with a width of 1,380 mm (4-1/2 ft), length 1,400 mm (4 ft, 7 in), height 700 mm (2 ft 3.6 in). This prototype has flown in 2019.
Specifications:
- Aircraft: Hybrid-electric VTOL
- Piloting: Autonomous
- Passengers: 1
- Wings: 2 tilt-wings, with 4 propellers on each wing
- Propellers: 8
- Electric motors: 8
- Power source: Hybrid-electric
- Windows: Large side, top and forward windows for spectacular views
- Doors: 2
- Landing gear: The aircraft uses 2 stationary legs in the front of the aircraft and uses the back of the rear wing (tilted upward) for its landing gear
- Safety features: Distributed electric propulsion. If several propellers stop working, the remaining propellers can safely land the aircraft. There are two doors, if one door stops working, the other door will most likely work.
Company Insights:
Resources:
- Aeronext website
- Aeronext website (Japanese)
- Aeronext Facebook
- Aeronext Twitter
- Aeronext YouTube
- Video: Next Mobility Flight Test, Aeronext, Oct. 14, 2019
- Article: Aeronext Announces New Air Mobility Concept “Flying Gondola” Next MOBILITY®!, Aeronext, Oct. 15, 2019
- Article: Flying Gondola From Aeronext: Comfortable Drone Transport, UberGizmo, Oct. 15, 2019
- Article: Japan Aims For An Air Mobility Revolution With Flying Taxis And Mobility As A Service, Forbes, Dec. 11, 2019
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