Gadfin Spirit X

Spirit X
Gadfin 
Rehovot, Israel 
www.gadfin.com

Gadfin was co-founded in Israel by Eyal Regev, Ran Kleiner and Ilan Yuval in 2018. Co-founder and CEO Regev started imagining an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air cargo business in 2006 when drones began to become popular and realized they'd be good for logistics. The company's goal is to manufacture and sell pollution free VTOL aircraft which can quickly deliver cargo in difficult delivery situations, such as flying packages over heavy urban traffic, in locations with bad road systems and in remote locations.

The company has successfully made and tested a small eVTOL aircraft called Spirit One, which can carry a maximum payload of 15 kg (33 lb) with a range of more than 250 km (155 m). The Gadfin eVTOL manufacturer is the first company in the world to receive the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority permit for urban airspace deliveries in 2020. 

The company's next VTOL aircraft is a larger version of Spirit One, called Spirit X, which is planned to have a maximum payload of 100 kg (220 lb) with a range of 500 km (311 m) and is a hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft fueled by hydrogen fuel cells. The Spirit One and Spirit X VTOL aircraft both have a unique feature of a foldable low wing allowing the aircraft to takeoff and land in small spaces but allow the aircraft to take advantage of winged forward flight, once in the air.

Some features for their aircraft is autonomous flight, the cargo can be loaded and unloaded autonomously and has several unique patents, including the specialized fold out wings for forward flight.The aircraft has also been made to withstand strong winds and fly in all weather conditions.

The company predicts their aircraft will be sold for specific markets, such as quickly flying critical hospital supplies, such as bone marrow and blood, flying parts and components for manufacturing plants and mail delivery in urban areas. In addition, the company foresees their aircraft very useful in the inspection and survey duties, such powerline inspections and finding oil leaks from pipelines. Gadfin projects their aircraft will be available for sale at low and affordable costs.

Since the Spirit X is still in the conceptual stage, pictures of the Spirit One have been chosen to represent how it may appear later in development.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL cargo aircraft (powered by hydrogen)
• Piloting: Autonomous
• Maximum payload weight: 100 kg (220 lb)
• Cruise speed: ~150 km/h (93 mph)
• Range: 400 km (249 m)
• Propellers: Unknown
• Electric Motors: Unknown
• Power source: Hydrogen fuel cells
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber
• Wings: Fold-out wings for forward flight
• 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 and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. There is a full aircraft parachute safety system.

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase

Resources:

• Gadfin website
• Gadfin LinkedIn
• Video: Gadfin Presenting the next generation of Air Cargo Drones, The Shield Media Networks, Sept. 8, 2020
• Video: Israeli Start-Up Gadfin Advances Future Drone Delivery Operations, i24 News, Oct. 6, 2020
• Article: GADFIN powerline infrastructure inspection, SUAS News, Oct. 7, 2020
• Article: ‘This is a revolution’: Israeli drone company plans for worldwide aerial-supply networks, Jewish News Syndicate, Oct. 13, 2020
• Article: Gadfin “negotiating drone medical supply programmes in Singapore and Indonesia”, Urban Mobility News, Nov. 6, 2020