Photo: CycloTech
The CruiseUp air car boasts one of the most futuristic looks in the eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) world, but it's much more than that. Behind this intriguing appearance lies the power and potential of a game-changing propulsion system that isn't limited to air taxi applications.
The Austria-based aviation technology company CycloTech is working behind the scenes to turn its propulsion product into a viable commercial option. Financially, the goal is to reach €53 million ($57.4 million) by the end of this year. The first step was a success – CycloTech already secured more than $20 million in just a few weeks.
This financial boost will be geared toward developing the first full-scale prototype of its flagship technology, the CycloRotor. At the moment, the sixth-generation version continued to undergo flight testing. It's the culmination of eight years of hard work and extensive testing, during which five prototypes helped refine the CycloRotor technology.
All of this is expected to lead to the CycloRotor becoming fully certified by EASA (the European Union Aviation Safety Agency). Even so, there's a long road ahead. The most optimistic estimation is that a marketable product will be ready to launch by the end of this decade.
Still, it's worth the wait because this propulsion technology goes far beyond the typical urban mobility application of most eVTOL systems. It could power a wide range of products across multiple industries, from flying cranes in construction work to high-precision military drones.
As for air taxis, this technology could help develop flying cars that are more compact, more comfortable, and especially much easier to maneuver than most eVTOLs on the market right now.
In a nutshell, the CycloRotor is a 360-degree thrust vectoring propulsion system, which means that thrust force can be directed across the full circle, unlike conventional aviation propulsion systems where thrust is generated in only one direction.
The ultimate goal for this innovative system is for it to power tomorrow's flying car. The concept envisioned by the Austrian company is called CruiseUp. It's designed to operate as a personal aircraft for the smoothest flight experience you could imagine. The CruiseUp would not only transition easily from hover to forward flight, but even conduct sideways and backward flight. Picture a personal air car where you can actually break mid-flight and switch direction safely and smoothly. Plus, this futuristic air car would only be 50% bigger than a regular car.
The CycloRotor is an innovative approach to eVTOL propulsion, but it's based on a time-tested concept. The principle behind this technology was originally used in the maritime transportation industry in the form of the Voith Schneider propeller for vessels. Not too far in the future, we'll see how this classic concept can revolutionize air mobility as well.
This financial boost will be geared toward developing the first full-scale prototype of its flagship technology, the CycloRotor. At the moment, the sixth-generation version continued to undergo flight testing. It's the culmination of eight years of hard work and extensive testing, during which five prototypes helped refine the CycloRotor technology.
All of this is expected to lead to the CycloRotor becoming fully certified by EASA (the European Union Aviation Safety Agency). Even so, there's a long road ahead. The most optimistic estimation is that a marketable product will be ready to launch by the end of this decade.
Still, it's worth the wait because this propulsion technology goes far beyond the typical urban mobility application of most eVTOL systems. It could power a wide range of products across multiple industries, from flying cranes in construction work to high-precision military drones.
As for air taxis, this technology could help develop flying cars that are more compact, more comfortable, and especially much easier to maneuver than most eVTOLs on the market right now.
In a nutshell, the CycloRotor is a 360-degree thrust vectoring propulsion system, which means that thrust force can be directed across the full circle, unlike conventional aviation propulsion systems where thrust is generated in only one direction.
The ultimate goal for this innovative system is for it to power tomorrow's flying car. The concept envisioned by the Austrian company is called CruiseUp. It's designed to operate as a personal aircraft for the smoothest flight experience you could imagine. The CruiseUp would not only transition easily from hover to forward flight, but even conduct sideways and backward flight. Picture a personal air car where you can actually break mid-flight and switch direction safely and smoothly. Plus, this futuristic air car would only be 50% bigger than a regular car.
The CycloRotor is an innovative approach to eVTOL propulsion, but it's based on a time-tested concept. The principle behind this technology was originally used in the maritime transportation industry in the form of the Voith Schneider propeller for vessels. Not too far in the future, we'll see how this classic concept can revolutionize air mobility as well.
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