VTOL Aviation India Abhiyaan ENM800

Abhiyaan ENM800
VTOL Aviation India PVT. LTD.
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
www.vtolaviations.com

On July 13, 2017, VTOL Aviation India was founded by Mr Kalyan Chowdhury in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The goal of the company is to be the first in the Indian aerospace sector to make hybrid-electric and all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) passenger aircraft. The reason for this is to achieve the "Make in India" goal, a government-launched initiative to encourage 100% of a product to be manufactured domestically. The company is partnering with the Indian Institute Of Technology-Kanpur and with the EFC Group of Companies. The company has designed and manufactured multiple types of drones. VTOL Aviation India has been funded with $150 million with the plan for $2 billion total investment from internal sources and bank loans.

The Abhiyaan ENM800 is an autonomous hybrid-electric VTOL and an eVTOL two passenger air taxi concept design aircraft. The power source will be determined by the person, company or government purchasing the aircraft. The aircraft has eight dedicated VTOL propellers, one pusher propeller for forward and reverse flight, has a carbon fiber composite fuselage, has a canopy over the cockpit, has one high wing, one rear T-tail and has tricycle fixed wheeled landing gear.

Hybrid-electric VTOL air taxi model:

• Estimated cruise speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
• Maximum speed: 234 km/h (145 mph)
• Maximum range: 600 km (373 miles)
• Estimated flight time is over 30 hours and 20 minutes

eVTOL air taxi model:

• Estimated cruise speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
• Maximum speed: 234 km/h (145 mph)
• Maximum range: 250 km (155 miles)
• Estimated flight time of over one hour

Hybrid-electric and eVTOL air taxi models:

• Cruise altitude: 2,000 meters (6,652 ft)
• Maximum altitude: 5,700 meters (18,701 ft).
• Empty weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
• Maximum payload: 200 kg (441 lb)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
• Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers
• There are also redundancies in the sub-systems of the aircraft.
• The aircraft can also land conventionally if needed.
• The aircraft has a whole aircraft ballistic parachute.

The Abhiyaan ENM800 has been made for advanced aerial mobility (AAM) including urban air taxi service within a city, air taxi service between two cities and rural air taxi service. The aircraft has been engineered to reduce the complexity of the aircraft by having no tilting propellers and no retractable landing gear. Lowing the complexity of an aircraft reduces the purchase cost of the aircraft, increases the safety of the aircraft, increases the reliability of the aircraft and reduces maintenance costs. The aircraft has also been designed with multiple redundancies which also increases the safety and reliability of the aircraft. The high wing increases the range of the aircraft making the aircraft more useful for passengers traveling far distances and also lowers the power needed during forward flight.

VTOL Aviation India's aim is to reshape the future of flight with the ultimate breakthrough in clean and safe aviation, made in India. The company's aircraft can be used for urban air taxi service, private use, business use, air tourism, pilot training, mechanic training, aerial surveillance, aerial surveys, urban air cargo, emergency medical services, disaster air response, government service, paramilitary service, military use and more.

While the company has not stated when sub-scale or full scales prototypes will be made and tested, the company expects the Abhiyaan ENM800 VTOL passenger aircraft to be in service by 2025.

Specifications Hybrid-Electric VTOL Model:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL air taxi aircraft
• Piloting: Autonomous
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Cruise speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
• Maximum speed: 234 km/h (145 mph)
• Range: 600 km (373 miles)
• Maximum flight time: 3 hours, 20 minutes
• Maximum speed: 234 km/h (145 mph)
• Cruise altitude: 2,000 meters (6,652 ft)
• Maximum altitude: 5,700 meters (18,701 ft)
• Empty weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
• Maximum payload: 200 kg (441 lb)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
• Propellers: 9 propellers
• Electric Motors: 9 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric and batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Small canopy over cockpit
• Wings: 1 high wing
• Tail: 1 t-tail
• Landing gear: Tricycle fixed wheeled 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. The aircraft can also land conventionally if needed. The aircraft has a whole aircraft ballistic parachute.

Specifications eVTOL Model:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL air taxi aircraft
• Piloting: Autonomous
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Cruise speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
• Maximum Range: 250 km (155 miles)
• Maximum flight time: Over 1 hour
• Cruise altitude: 2,000 meters (6,652 ft)
• Maximum altitude: 5,700 meters (18,701 ft)
• Empty weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
• Maximum payload: 200 kg (441 lb)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
• Propellers: 9 propellers
• Electric Motors: 9 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Small canopy over cockpit
• Wings: 1 high wing
• Tail: 1 t-tail
• Landing gear: Tricycle fixed wheeled 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. The aircraft can also land conventionally if needed. The aircraft has a whole aircraft ballistic parachute.

Company Insights:

• Tracxn
• The Economic Times (India)
• Zauba Corp
• Easy Leadz

Resources:

• VTOL Aviation India website
• VTOL Aviation India Twitter
• VTOL Aviation LinkedIn
• Indian Institute of Technology website
• Article: Bringing Flying Taxis to the Masses: India’s VTOL Aviation Redefines the Future of Mobility, Auto Futures, Aug. 4, 2019