Zero Gravity ZG-T6 (concept design)

ZG-T6 (concept design)
Zero Gravity Aircraft Industry Co., LTD.
Hefei High-Tech Zone, Anhui, China
www.lzlair.com

The company was founded on March 31, 2021 by Xiang Jinwu, the Dean of the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering in Beihang University to make electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM). The School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering is a leading academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Zero Gravity (also known as ZeroG) is based in China’s Hefei High-Tech Zone in Anhui, China. The company announced in May 2022, it had secured almost 10 million yuan ($1.48 million - USD) in a round of seed funding from BlueRun Ventures, based in China. (Image credit: Zero Gravity)

The company has already designed an eVTOL multicopter, eVTOL winged aircraft and tilt-wing eVTOL passenger aircraft. The company's main objectives is to provide clean, safe, fast and comfortable urban air travel. The founding team member of Zero Gravity has said, "With an initial specialization in eVTOLs, we aim to provide smarter, faster, safer and more cost-effective solutions in urban air mobility (UAM). Our goal is to bring electric aircraft to life and contribute to the air taxi industry in China and to the world."

ZG-T6 six person eVTOL concept design aircraft
The ZG-T6 is Zero Gravity's eVTOL six person tilt-rotor aircraft which will be piloted at the start of air taxi commuter service and then in the future, the aircraft will be autonomously piloted. The aircraft holds one pilot and five passengers.

The ZG-T6 has an estimated cruise speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) and has an expected range of 300 km (186 m). The intended flight time of the air taxi aircraft is 90 minutes. The predicted maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft is 2,500 kg (5,512 lb). The passenger aircraft has a futuristic sleek design with its streamlined fuselage. The airframe has six tilt-propellers and six electric motors used for all directions of travel. There are two tilt-propellers on the aircraft's forewing, two on the high-main wing and two are located on top of the modified V-tail.

Due to its wings, the aircraft will have a longer range than multicopters will typically have. Winged eVTOL aircraft will usually have a useful range to travel from one edge of a large urban area to the other edge. Some winged eVTOL aircraft will be able to fly between two cities. While the aircraft would not be able to landing in a parking lot space, the aircraft can easily land on rooftop landing pads, airports and any area that is wide enough to land a small or medium sized private plane.

eVTOL aircraft have a distinct advantage over conventional aircraft. The weight reduction from having no engine, transmission and fuel tanks, increases the reliability and safety of the aircraft. Reducing the complexity of any aircraft, machine or theory is always welcomed in the real world of engineering and in science. Lowering the complexity of the aircraft decreases the purchase price and maintenance costs of the aircraft. Even though battery density is still not at a point where much longer ranges are desired for electric aircraft, eVTOL aircraft are light enough that current battery technology will still allow eVTOL aircraft to have a long enough range to transport passengers within most large cities around the world.

The aircraft has three-redundant flight control systems to make the aircraft extremely safe and reliable. The aircraft has retractable-wheeled landing gear. Wheeled landing gear makes it easier to move aircraft on the ground for pilots and ground crew. In case all systems fail, the aircraft also has an emergency ballistic parachute to keep the passengers safe during an emergency landing.

Aircraft applications and future plans
The aircraft will be initially used for short to medium distance flights for air taxi service and can be easily configured into an urban air cargo aircraft. The company foresees its aircraft for daily air taxi commuting for work, personal use, tourism, emergency rescue, geological surveys, air cargo and many other types of air missions needed by a small winged eVTOL aircraft.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL passenger and air cargo concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot (in the future, it will be autonomous)
• Capacity: 5 passengers
• Cruise speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
• Range: 300 km (186 m)
• Flight Time: 90 minutes
• Maximum takeoff weight: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb)
• Propellers: 6 tilt-propellers
• Electric Motors: 6 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left and right visibility, for spectacular views
• Wings: 1 high main wing, 1 forewing
• Tail: 1 V-tail (with a small inverted V at the base of the V 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 (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. In case all systems fail, the aircraft also has an emergency ballistic parachute to keep the passengers safe during an emergency landing.

Related Aircraft:

• Zero Gravity ZG-ONE (concept design)
• Zero Gravity ZG-ONE (production model)
• Zero Gravity ZG-VC2 (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Pitchbook

Resources:

• Zero Gravity website
• Article: The first generation of zero gravity eVTOL product "ZG-ONE" was launched, Weixin QQ, May 15, 2022
• Article: eVTOL Firm Zerog Secures Nearly 10M Yuan in Seed Financing, Pandaily, May 17, 2022
• Article: BRV China-backed eVTOL start-up Zerog closes nearly RMB10 Million seed round, Fifty Shades of Sky, June 7, 2022
• Article: BRV China-backed eVTOL start-up Zerog closes nearly RMB 10 million seed round, China Travel News, June 8, 2022
• Article: ZG-ONE eVTOL By ZeroG, Jet Forums, (Date of post unknown.)
• Article: The eVTOL company "Zero Gravity Aircraft Industry" completed nearly 10 million yuan in seed round financing, and Lanchi Ventures exclusively invested, Sina Finance, May 17, 2022
• Article: Lanchi Venture Capital made an exclusive investment, and eVTOL zero-gravity aircraft, China Venture, May 17, 2022
• Article: Chuang Express | Nanjing Zero Gravity completed nearly 10 million yuan in seed round financing, Sohu, May 19, 2022
• Article: BRV China-backed eVTOL start-up Zerog closes nearly RMB10 Million seed round, Fifty Sky Shades, June 7, 2022
• Article: Another Chinese eVTOL Startup Adds Funding, Aviation Week, Aug. 28, 2023