Raven

Raven
Irakli Shengelia
Republic of Georgia

In the Republic of Georgia, Irakli Shengelia began inventing his electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) in January 2018 due to Boeing’s GoFly Prize contest. Shengelia has developed a new, very sleek, modern, quiet, compact and clean Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft called the Raven. Shengelia is looking for investors.

The Raven holds one passenger with a fast cruise speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) using batteries for a power source with eight ducted electric fan units allowing for quiet and clean urban air travel. He looks forward to be able to fly his aircraft to work in the city of Tbilisi, the largest city in the Republic of Georgia.

The aircraft will be eventually be autonomous and can be used as a personal air vehicle or for cargo transportation with a maximum payload of 95 kg (204 lbs).

The aircraft is being developed to sell to private individuals for those people who want to shorten urban travel time to a minimum and would prefer to not ride a motorcycle or scooter through busy or bottle-necked streets. Shengelia foresees his eVTOL aircraft as being affordable and very safe.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL
• Capacity: 1 passenger or cargo
• Cruise speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
• Maximum payload weight: 95 kg (204 lbs)
• Propulsion: 8 ducted electric fans
• Power source: Batteries
• 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.

Resources:

• Irakli Shengelia LinkedIn
• Article: Meet the Teams: Team Raven LLC, From the Republic of Georgia, GoFly Prize, Feb. 7, 2019
• Article: Georgian inventor of one passenger aircraft will be presented at the GoFly Prize competition in Silicon Valley, Entrepreneur, July 5, 2019
• Article: AHS Supports GoFly!, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2017 
• Article: Flying Solo: GoFly Advances Single-Passenger Air Mobility Solutions, Vertiflite, May/June 2019
• Article: GoFly Inspires Innovation, Vertiflite, May/June 2020
• Article: GoFly Teams Prepare to Fly Again, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2020