Volant Aerotech VE25 X1 (technology demonstrator)

VE25 X1 (technology demonstrator)
Volant Aerotech
Minhang District, Shanghai, China
www.volantaerotech.com

Founded in June 2021 by Ming Dong, Volant Aerotech is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) start-up based in Shanghai, China. The company plans to sell their aircraft for advance aerial mobility (AAM) for passengers and air cargo. The company was started by a group of aviation professionals from COMAC (the Chinese equivalent of Boeing and Airbus), Autoflight (China), and from the Chinese subsidiaries of Airbus, GE, Honeywell and Collins.

Volant Aerotech was present at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition held on September 21, 2021. In January 2022, the company signed an eVTOL Partnership for Safety Plan with the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC). The company first raised seed funding in millions (USD) in 2021 and then closed pre-A series fundraising in June 2022 of over 100 million RMB (15 million USD).

Volant Aerotech was present at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition held on September 21, 2021. In January 2022, the company signed an eVTOL Partnership for Safety Plan with the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC). The company first raised seed funding in millions (USD) in 2021 and then closed pre-A series fundraising in June 2022 of over 100 million RMB (15 million USD). The company raised ¥100M (around US$14.2 million USD) in its sixth funding round in June 2024.

VE25 X1 full-scale passenger eVTOL technology demonstrator
The VE25 X1 is a full-scale passenger eVTOL technology demonstrator to validate the aerodynamics, systems and configuration of the aircraft. The technology demonstrator is a five seat passenger aircraft, has eight VTOL propellers for lift, has two tail mounted pusher propellers for forward flight and has fixed skid landing gear. The company started assembly of the VT-25 X1 technology demonstrator in June 2022 in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China.

The aircraft design has been made to reduce the complexity of the aircraft which increases safety and reduces the weight of the aircraft. The redundancy of eight dedicated VTOL propellers and two pusher propellers also increases the safety of the aircraft. In addition, the aircraft has been designed to have a longer range than its multicopter cousins. As electric aircraft have less parts than conventional aircraft, this design will help keep production costs down, the purchase price down, keep maintenance costs down, increase the service life of the aircraft will lower cost for passenger mileage.

On September 3, 2022, the company revealed the VE25 X1 technology demonstrator to the public and on November 19, 2022, the company conducted a power test of the demonstrator on the ground. This design is planned to be used for the production model. The production model will be used for for advanced aerial mobility, medevac missions and air cargo.

The company announced on January 18, 2023, the VE25 X1 technology demonstrator flew for the first time and was tethered during the flight.

Future
The company plans to produce three to five VE25 X1 aircraft in 2025 with the goal of starting commercial test runs by 2026, pending successful certification. Volant has secured strategic cooperation agreements and letters of intent (LOIs) with seven companies for over 700 aircraft orders worth more than $2 billion (USD). Key potential buyers include China Southern Airlines General Aviation, AVIC International Holding Corporation, Huaxia Feidi Technology, Ruohang Industrial Technology Group and Yalie General Aviation.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL passenger technology demonstrator
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 4 passengers
• Cruise speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
• Maximum cruise speed: 235 km/h (146 mph)
• Range: 200 km (124 miles)
• Maximum payload: 500 kg (1,102 lb)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb)
• Propellers: 8 VTOL propellers, 2 pusher propellers
• Electric motors: 10 electric motors
• Power source: Battery packs
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Larger than conventional windows allowing forward, left, right visibility with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
• Wings: 1 main high wing
• Tail: Modified V-tail (Could possibly be called a U-tail)
• Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
• 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 in the sub-systems of the aircraft.

Related Aircraft:

• Volant Aerotech VT-25 Tiny (proof of concept)

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook
• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Volant Aerotech website
• Volant Aerotech LinkedIn
• Article: List of exhibitors of the 13th China Airshow 2021, Zhuhai Airshow China Fans club, Sep. 28, 2021
• Article: China's Rising eVTOL Industry, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2021
• Article: Chinese eVTOL startup Volant revealed fundraising details, eFlight Journal, Sept. 15, 2021
• Article: At the Zhuhai Airshow, China's eVTOL complete machine project was sorted out, Sun News, Oct. 14, 2021
• Article: Volant Aerotech Bags 100M Yuan in Pre-A Round Financing, Pan Daily, June 30, 2022
• Article: Chinese eVTOL Startup Volant Unveiled Full-scale Prototype, eFlight Journal, Sept. 3, 2022
• Article: China’s Volant Rolls Out eVTOL Demonstrator, Aviation Week, Sept. 5, 2022
• Video: Chinese eVTOL startup Volant Aerotech revealed the full-scale prototype VE25 X1 | evtol news, Flying Car News, Sept. 6, 2022
• Article: Volant Aerotech Rolls Out VE25 eVTOL Technology Demonstrator, Future Flight, Sept. 6, 2022
• Article: Volant Aerotech’s full-scale eVTOL demonstrator “completes first untethered test flights”, Urban Air Mobility, Mar. 1, 2023