The future of urban mobility is airborne and the Metro Skyways division of Urban Aeronautics is hoping it might be one hundred percent sustainable soon, thanks to a partnering with HyPoint.
Metro Skyways has been working on a proprietary fancraft called CityHawk for a while. CityHawk is based on the military Cormorant / AirMule design and uses a hybrid powertrain, with the advantage that it offers considerable cargo space with a very small ground footprint.
Put it differently, this eVTOL is as small as a regular SUV but can carry more people or equipment than a regular helicopter. It does so by means of the internal rotor Fancraft technology, which means there are no exposed rotors but a front and rear fan completely hidden.
Metro Skyways says the cabin space is free of noise and vibrations, which makes the platform suitable for a variety of purposes, from medevac to corporate use and ride-sharing services. The ultimate goal is to make CityHawk a door-to-door flying car, whenever legislation will allow it.
In the meantime, the focus will be on hydrogen fuel. Existing models of CityHawk use hybrid powertrains but the latest partnership with HyPoint will see them switch to more efficient turbo air-cooled hydrogen cells.
“We look forward to collaborating with HyPoint on the integration of the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell systems for eVTOL transportation and the urban air mobility market,” Rafi Yoeli, CEO of Urban Aeronautics, said in a press release on the new collaboration. “As a high-power, 100 percent environmentally friendly fuel, hydrogen is key to the future of eVTOL aircraft.”
CityHawk can carry up to six passengers in any type of weather, and can reach speeds of 270 kph (167 mph), with a cruising speed of 234 kph (145 mph). Range is estimated at 150 km (93 miles), but the biggest improvement regarding the use of a hydrogen powertrain is the charge time, which can be reduced to a few minutes – considerably less than with lithium batteries.
Put it differently, this eVTOL is as small as a regular SUV but can carry more people or equipment than a regular helicopter. It does so by means of the internal rotor Fancraft technology, which means there are no exposed rotors but a front and rear fan completely hidden.
Metro Skyways says the cabin space is free of noise and vibrations, which makes the platform suitable for a variety of purposes, from medevac to corporate use and ride-sharing services. The ultimate goal is to make CityHawk a door-to-door flying car, whenever legislation will allow it.
In the meantime, the focus will be on hydrogen fuel. Existing models of CityHawk use hybrid powertrains but the latest partnership with HyPoint will see them switch to more efficient turbo air-cooled hydrogen cells.
“We look forward to collaborating with HyPoint on the integration of the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell systems for eVTOL transportation and the urban air mobility market,” Rafi Yoeli, CEO of Urban Aeronautics, said in a press release on the new collaboration. “As a high-power, 100 percent environmentally friendly fuel, hydrogen is key to the future of eVTOL aircraft.”
CityHawk can carry up to six passengers in any type of weather, and can reach speeds of 270 kph (167 mph), with a cruising speed of 234 kph (145 mph). Range is estimated at 150 km (93 miles), but the biggest improvement regarding the use of a hydrogen powertrain is the charge time, which can be reduced to a few minutes – considerably less than with lithium batteries.