Zeva Aero Argon (concept design)

Argon (concept design)
Zeva Aero
Tacoma, Washington, USA
www.zevaaero.com

Based in Tacoma, Washington (USA), Zeva began creating an all electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger aircraft concept design in 2017 for advanced air mobility (AAM). The company first designed and created a sub-scale prototype called Zero (Zero-emissions Electric Vertical Aircraft) with the ultimate goal to create a full sized production aircraft to provide alternative options to people for their daily commute. Zeva has enlisted engineers from around the world to help build their eVTOL aircraft. According to one August 2022 article, the company has raised around $700,000.00 USD to date. The company is actively looking for additional investors to raise $15 million USD to continue research, create flying prototypes, validate technology and sell their aircraft.

Zeva Aero is focused on three ideas: vertical, accessible and sustainable. The company's vision is that vertical flight will open general aviation to many more people. ZEVA Aero's aircraft are designed to be personal and affordable. The company has stated they are not building air taxis that will cost $10 million USD, their aircraft will cost less. Zeva Aero's aircraft will:

• Be practical and extremely useful aircraft
• Have superior range using hybrid-electric technology
• Have dual operating modes (flown manually or by remote control)
• Be able to takeoff and land vertically and conventionally
• Use proven eVTOL technology

Argon long-range passenger hybrid-electric VTOL and conventional takeoff and landing concept design aircraft
The Argon is a long-range hybrid-electric two passenger VTOL and conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft. The company decided to use a proven general aviation plane with added VTOL propellers located on booms perpendicular to the top of the main high wing of the aircraft. The aircraft has a cruise speed of 140 mph (224 km/h), a range of 379 miles (609 km) and has a useful load of 650 lbs (294 kg).

The aircraft has one tractor propeller for forward flight and uses four stationary VTOL propellers for takeoff and landings. The aircraft can also be flown conventionally if needed or if preferred by the pilot. The aircraft is still flyable with a 100% loss of power and can land conventionally to safety. An optional whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute can be ordered for the aircraft.

Zeva chose the Cessna 162 Skycatcher, a proven airframe, to reduce the time it will take to manufacture and sell the aircraft. The Cessna 162 Skycatcher was produced between 2009 and 2013 according to its Wikipedia web page. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements will also be nominal due using a proven airframe. The company will initially offer the Argon as an experimental amateur built kit aircraft. According to the company, kit aircraft is a rapidly growing segment in the USA that currently represents almost 10% of the light aircraft fleet.

Zeva expects the aircraft to be used for personal air travel, business travel and government use. The company foresees their aircraft to be very useful for advanced air mobility (AAM) search & rescue missions, emergency medical service missions, law enforcement, air cargo service, island hopping, mountain use and also ship to shore missions.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Passenger long-range hybrid-electric VTOL (and CTOL optional) concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Cruise speed: 140 mph (224 km/h)
• Range: 379 miles (609 km)
• Useful load: 650 lbs (294 kg)
• Propellers: 1 tractor propeller (for forward flight), 4 VTOL propellers
• Electric motors: 5 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric and batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Typical general aviation aircraft windows
• Wings: 1 main high wing
• Tail: 1 T-tail
• Landing gear: Fixed 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 of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft. The aircraft can land conventionally if VTOL propellers stop turning. An optional whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute can be ordered for the aircraft. The aircraft is still flyable with a 100% loss of power.

Related Aircraft:

• Zeva Aero Z2 (concept design)
• Zeva Aero Zero (prototype)

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Go Fund Me
• Pitchbook
• Start Engine
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Zeva Aero website
• Zeva Aero Facebook
• Zeva Aero Twitter
• Zeva Aero YouTube Channel
• Zeva Aero Instagram
• Zeva Aero LinkedIn
• Cessna 162 Skycatcher Wikipedia
• Article: AHS Supports GoFly!, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2017 
• Article: Team of Tacoma ‘engineers, designers and dreamers’ wants to build you a personal flying saucer, The News Tribune, Aug. 21, 2018
• Video: Tacoma company wants to make personal flying saucer, K5 News, Aug. 27, 2018
• Article: Team Zeva takes on a mission targeting the $2M GoFly Prize … with a flying saucer!, Geek Wire, Jan. 29, 2019
• Article: Zeva builds flying saucer to take aim at GoFly Prize, Cosmic Log, Jan. 29, 2019
• Article: Forget Jet Packs or Flying Cars! Design a Personal Flying Device!, ANSYA Blog, Mar. 1, 2019
• Article: Oshkosh e-AirVenture, Vertiflite, Sep/Oct 2019
• 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
• Article: ZEVA Announces Grant Awarded by JCATI, Zeva Aero, Sept. 8, 2021
• Video: Introducing the next generation of ZEVA eVTOL aircraft, Zeva Aero, July 28, 2022
• Article: Zeva Aero Introduces Z2 Wing-Body eVTOL Prototype, FutureFlight, Aug. 29, 2022
• Article: ‘It’s not just science fiction’: Zeva is taking its flying saucer concept to the next level, GeekWire, Sept. 9, 2022
• Article: Zeva Aero pivots from its flying saucer to an airplane with a vertical-takeoff twist, GeekWire, Mar. 22, 2023
• Article: Zeva Aero Launches New eVTOL Line, Transport Up, Mar. 23, 2023
• Video: Zeva Argon Promo V2, ZEVA Aero, May 7, 2023