Fraundorfer Aeronautics Tensor

Tensor
Fraundorfer Aeronautics
Donauwörth, Germany
www.fraundorfer.aero

Company founder and CEO Chrisoph Fraundorfer has been working on an advanced gyrocopter for the last 10 years with over 20,000 thousand labor hours using modern computational fluid dynamics analysis to optimize the rotor head and airframe.

The company has designed a six (6) seat gyrocopter, the Tensor, for air taxi urban mobility passenger service, search and rescue, cargo and many other types of missions required by slow or fast moving air vehicles. The cargo gyrocopter has no windows and is specifically for aerial cargo service only. The gyrocopters and newly designed rotor are also scalable based on the customer's needs. The company has patented their new rotor technology and fuselage design. Fraundorfer also unveiled a two seat technology demonstrator, the Tensor 600X, in May 2019. 

For more than 60 years, the gyrocopter has been spending time only as a niche market in the hobby sector. Commercial use is not allowed because the low load capacity of the “screwdriver” is a maximum of 450 kilograms. That’s what Fraundorfer wants to change because the gyrocopter basically has one advantage: It can fly slower and lower than a helicopter. In addition, fixed-wing and helicopter pilots can be retrained with little effort.

— Article: This test pilot has developed a completely new aircraft, Handelsblatt, May 22, 2019

The Tensor gyrocopter has several unique design features including the ability to use multiple energy sources such as full-electric, gasoline engines, fuel cells or hydrogen engines, main wings with winglets, forward strakes with winglets and a sleek futuristic look. A single propeller connected to a central located engine allows for multiple energy sources. In addition the company has revealed their gyrocopter has a low noise footprint, the cost is low to purchase and operate the aircraft, its ultra-safe and has low emissions.

The company says their cargoe delivery aircraft is capable of handling many jobs which helicopters, airplanes and eVTOLs can perform but with less cost, no eVTOL regulation hurdles to jump through and with a quieter noise footprint.

The Tensor gyrocopter has a flight range of 600 km (373 miles) and can fly safely at very low speeds and at speeds over 161 km/h (100 mph). The company has stated their gyrocopter is quieter than helicopters, light aircraft, drones and eVTOL aircraft. It has one-third (1/3) less drag compared to multicopters and half (1/2) the drag compared to helicopters

Fraundorfer Aeronautics goal is to have the six (6) seat Tensor's first flight in 2022 with production of their aircraft in the 2024-2025 time frame. According to an article on evtolinsights.com, the company also hopes to launch the next vehicle in the series, the Tensor 800X, by the end of 2023. This craft is planned to be a more advanced iteration of Tensor's 600X.

Specifications:

• Aircraft: Gyrocopter capable of using multiple energy sources, including all-electric capability
• Capacity: 6 including the pilot
• Piloting: Manual or autonomous
• Maximum cruise speed: 213 km/h (115 kt, 132 mph)
• Lowest airspeed: 41 km/h (22kt, 25 mph)
• Range: 600 km (320 nm, 373 miles)
• Take-off requirement: 90m (300 ft) ground roll
• Landing requirement:  Approximately 30 m (95 ft)
• Energy sources: All-electric using batteries, gasoline engine, fuel cells or hydrogen engine
• Rotorblade: Patented rotorblade technology
• Pusher propeller: 6 blades
• Windows: Floor to ceiling side windows and ceiling windows for incredible views for passengers
• Wings: Swept main wing with winglets. Forward strakes with winglets.
• Tail: The end of the fuselage includes a vertical downward tail plane and also holds a horizontal tail which has two vertical downward tail planes at the end of each tip. Total of three vertical downward tail planes.
• Landing gear: Retractable landing gear with wheels

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook

Resources:

• Fraundorfer Aeronautics website
• Article: “Fraundorfer Aeronautics” presents air taxi from the Donau-Ries, B4B Wirtschaftsleben Schwaben, May 5, 2019
• Article: This test pilot has developed a completely new aircraft, Handelsblatt, May 22, 2019
• Article: Rotor technology for new generation of aircraft, AUTOCAD and Inventor Magazine, Jun. 4, 2019
• Article: New rotor technology modeled after the maple seed, Cockpit, Jun. 6, 2019
• Article: Fraundorfer prepares clean-sheet gyrocopter for first flight, Flight Global, Aug. 12, 2019