Rotor X eTransporter

eTransporter
Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company
Chandler, Arizona, USA
www.rotorxaircraft.com

Based in Arizona (USA), Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company (RX) are makers of the two passenger Rotor X Phoenix A600 kit turbo helicopter. In 2021, Rotor X Aircraft purchased the kit helicopter company, RotorWay International. RotorWay was founded by B.J. Schrammin in 1961 and the kit helicopter company was originally named the RotorWay Helicopter Manufacturing Company.

On June 29, 2021, Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company announced it is entering the electric air taxi market with an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) quad-rotor helicopter for Urban Air Mobility (UAM). Rotor X Aircraft is working in collaboration with its partner company, Advanced Tactics Inc. of Torrance, California (USA). Advanced Tactics has over 10 years experience in developing multi-rotor prototype aircraft and Rotor X Aircraft and will be using this experience to help develop the electric quad-rotor helicopter.

The eTransporter is a six passenger all-electric quad-rotor helicopter with a charter jet type interior which will be well suited for Urban Air Mobility (UAM). The company has designed the cabin to have plenty of leg room for passengers. The helicopter has a cruise speed of 140 mph (225 km/h), a flight time of 1-½ hours, with a range of 230 miles (322 km). The hovering ability for the all-electric helicopter has an estimated exceptional time of 45 minutes.

eTransporter Goals:

• FAA air worthiness certification by 2021
• First flight, fall of 2021
• Complete FAA air worthiness testing in 2022
• Flight testing in Alaska (USA), summer of 2022
• FAA air taxi certification, fall 2024

A unique feature of the helicopter is a small fixed wing located on top of the fuselage. The company states the wing increases the rotorcraft's range by 50%. The company also states the wing does not interfere with the performance of helicopter's rotorblades and is an efficient helicopter with, or hypothetically, without the wing. The helicopter has retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear, has no tail rotor and has a T-tail.

Rotor X Aircraft has stated the eTransporter will be the world’s most efficient and cost-effective helicopter for civilian use. The company also plans to design the aircraft which allows a flexible power source, such as all-electric, gas, diesel or hybrid systems, depending upon the customer's power requirements.

The company foresees the eTransporter to be used for commercial, industrial and military use, including passenger service and air cargo transportation. Due to the long range of the helicopter, air taxi service will not only include city service but rural to city service. A strong area of interest for the helicopter has already been discussed with mining companies for use in the rugged terrain of Alaska (USA). In addition, the helicopter would be perfectly suited for search and rescue and medevac operations.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Electric helicopter for passenger use and air cargo
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 6 passengers
• Max Payload: 1,600 lb
• Empty Weight: 6,400 lb (including batteries)
• Cruise speed: 140 mph (225 km/h)
• Range: Over 200 m (322 km)
• Flight Time: Over 1-½ hours
• Hover time: 45 minutes
• Rotorblades: 4 rotorblades
• Electric Motors: 4 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Small round windows
• Wings: 1 small wing on top of the fuselage
• Tail: T-tail
• Landing gear: Retractable 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. If one of the rotorblades fail during flight, eTransporter can continue to fly on three rotorblades. A tail rotor failure can cause a catastrophic loss of control in a conventional helicopter; however, there is no tail rotor making the eTransporter safer than a conventional helicopter with a tail rotor.

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company website
• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company Facebook
• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company Twitter
• Rotor X Dragon YouTube Channel
• Rotor X Dragon Instagram
• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company LinkedIn
• Article: Rotorway sold to Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Co., AOPA, Feb. 4, 2021
• Article: Rotor X's big-blade quad-rotor eVTOL promises extreme efficiency, New Atlas, June 29, 2021