Nalwa Aero Nalwa 5X (concept design)

Nalwa 5X (concept design)
Nalwa Aero
India
www.nalwa.aero

Founded by Kuljeet S. Sandhu CEO in India, Nalwa Aero is in the business of designing and manufacturing long-range passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM). The company's mission is to transform the future of air transportation in India and beyond. The company works with Nelson Salas, the CEO of the Grug Group, and they together are developing NALWA 5X to provide aircraft services as the first eVTOL passenger aircraft in India. The company is seeking investors. (Image credit: Nalwa Aero)

Nalwa 5X eVTOL passenger concept design aircraft
The Nalwa 5X is an eVTOL passenger concept design aircraft made for advanced air mobility (AAM). The aircraft has one pilot and carries four passengers with their luggage. Piloting can also be remote or autonomous piloting. The aircraft can also be configured for air cargo service. The unveiling of the Nalwa 5X subscale model took place at Drone Expo 2023 at the Bombay Exhibition Center, Goregaon, India on October 5th, 2023. The exhibition took place from October 5-7, 2023.

The maximum cruise speed of the aircraft is 400 km/h (249 mph). The flight time of the aircraft is 1-1/2 hours plus has a 15 minute reserve time. The maximum altitude for the aircraft is 2,000 m (6,562 ft). The maximum payload weight of the aircraft is estimated to be 700 kg (1,543 lb). The eVTOL aircraft has 12 tilt-electric ducted fans (EDFs) and are powered by 12 electric motors. The aircraft has one forward canard wing and one rear box wing. All EDFs are mounted on the rear of the canard and box wings. The aircraft's power source is batteries. The aircraft is made from carbon fiber composite for a high strength and a low weight ratio. The aircraft lands on fixed tricycle landing legs.

The autonomous navigation on board will include a variety of sensors, including cameras, radar and a Global Positioning System (GPS), to track the aircraft’s position and environment. It will be capable of planning and executing flight paths, avoiding obstacles and respond to emergencies. This in turn will ensure safety, efficiency and flexibility. The aircraft's design provides exceptional stability and control even in challenging wind conditions, according to the company.

The interior configurations are modular and can be reconfigured to accommodate diverse missions from passenger transport to cargo delivery. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft including the engines, flight control and navigation systems. There is a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute.

Mission applications
The company expects the aircraft to be used for commercial and military use. For commercial use, the aircraft can be used for air taxi service, VIP travel, personal use, police missions, firefighting, medevac missions, air cargo transportation and more. For the military, the aircraft will be capable of troop deployment from navy ships, reconnaissance missions, search and rescue, close air support, air cargo and more.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL passenger and air cargo concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot, autonomous or remote piloting
• Capacity: 4 passengers and luggage
• Maximum cruise speed: 400 km/h (249 mph)
• Flight time: 1-1/2 hours plus 15 minutes of reserve time
• Maximum altitude: 2,000 m (6,562 ft)
• Empty weight: Unknown
• Maximum payload weight: 700 kg (1,543 lb)
• Propellers: 12 tilt-electric ducted fans (EDFs)
• Electric motors: 12 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Panoramic wrap around tinted windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
• Wings: 1 forward canard wing and 1 rear box wing
• Landing gear: Fixed tricycle landing legs
• 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 of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft including the engines, flight control and navigation systems. There is a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute.

Resources:

• Nalwa Aero website
• Nalwa Aero Facebook
• Nalwa Aero YouTube Channel
• Kuljeet S. Sandhu Instagram
• Video: Nalwa 5X - India's First 5 Seater eVTOL II Electric Aircraft II Nalwa Aero, Nalwa Aero, Oct. 10, 2023
• Video: Nalwa 5X Launch, October 5, 2023, Grug Group LLC, Oct. 16, 2023
• Article: NALWA 5X, Medium, Oct. 17, 2023