Aura Ranger VTOL: Tomorrow’s Ocean-Crossing Green Business Jet?

It can be easy to get overly enthusiastic about eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing), especially since regular air taxi services seem to be closer to reality than ever. But here’s a harsh perspective on that – even the most impressive of them still can’t compare to executive helicopters and private jets, in terms of performance.

This is coming from Aura Aerospace, a young U.S. company that has demonstrated an incredible growth in just a couple of years. Since its launch in 2020, it has not only succeeded in getting a one-seat eVTOL on the market (the Guardian G1), but it also unveiled a very interesting concept that could truly revolutionize this mobility sector - the Ranger VTOL.

First of all, let’s clarify that Aura Aerospace, headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a different company than Aura Aero, a French builder that also develops electric aircraft (the Integral eVTOL and the Era 19-seater).

The Californian company presents itself as “a team of Defense Veterans and Industry Professionals,” and the Aura Ranger is their latest creation.

Going back to what’s wrong with the eVTOL picture today, the Californian startup names three main design requirements that have not been implemented on the first generation of vertical-flight models. These are a streamlined aerodynamic design (to avoid drag), an optimal placement for the center of mass, and high-thrust jet velocity.

To address them, the Aura Ranger concept boasts three main features – pontoons that cover the eVTOL system in forward flight, the center of mass placed in line with propulsion on a Y axis, and jet engines that run on SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).

The result is a five-seat aircraft that combines VTOL capabilities with high-speed engines for intercontinental flights, operating with no emissions and looking like it came straight out of a Sci-Fi movie.

Here’s the basic idea of how it works: the co-axial octacopter system, with eight two-blade props hanging off the main wing, is what provides the vertical take-off and landing. Then, as Loz Blain of New Atlas explains, the wing folds out completely, and the turbofan jet engines kick in, moving this strange creature forward.

While in cruise flight, the propellers gradually slow down until full stop, when the retractable pontoons come out and cover them, in order to reduce drag. At this point, the Ranger is ready to hit its maximum speed, adding up to an incredible Mach 0.66 (510 mph/820 km).

This is how the Ranger acts as the green version of a luxury business jet. It flies almost at the same speed as an airliner, it boasts an ultra-long range of 11,185 miles (18,000 km), and can allegedly handle 22 hours of uninterrupted flight, thanks to the SAF-powered engines that can charge batteries while in flight.

Also, the five-seat configuration seems suitable for business flights, and amenities such as a galley and a bathroom are also included. The concept sketches that have been unveiled so far don’t offer a more detailed look inside the futuristic VTOL, but it’s probably safe to assume that its high-performance capabilities will be matched by a luxurious interior.

Aura Aerospace’s bold claim is that purely electric aircraft are simply not enough, even with potential battery improvements over the years. This is also why the ultra-long range segment of eVTOLs has been mostly neglected so far. Through design innovations and the use of SAF in addition to the vertical flight capabilities, Ranger could overcome these obstacles and take luxury air transportation to the next level.

For now, it’s too soon to tell whether this concept will come to fruition or not, or how long that would take. Not to mention that it would probably resemble business jets in terms of pricing, too, considering that the Guardian GT VTOL asks for $185,000.

And that’s not even the final destination for Aura Aerospace. Another bold concept, the Guardian Avira (pictured above), is being teased for the next decade. A folding-wing Pusher Dodecacopter that combines extensive range with “a luxury user experience,” this could be the ultimate green aircraft.