Photo: Lyte Aviation
With most eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) getting closer to the finish line in terms of certification, the industry's focus is switching to infrastructure, which is key in successfully launching commercial air taxi operations.
The SkyBus is unlike any other eVTOL on the market today. As its name suggests, it's supposed to be a zero-emission alternative not to regular cars but to buses and other public modes of transport. As a 40-seat electric aircraft claiming to be the first of its kind across the industry, it fills the gap between two-seat air taxis and regional airplanes with a medium range.
This innovative concept was unveiled earlier this year as the flagship of Lyte Aviation, a UK-based startup. In addition to the 40 passengers, the SkyBus will also carry two pilots onboard and a two-person crew, but this large aircraft doesn't just boast impressive capacity. It also promises to be six times faster than a ground-based bus and up to five times more fuel efficient compared to conventional helicopters. Plus, it will also be drastically quieter than helicopters, reducing noise pollution by ten times.
The SkyBus isn't purely electric. It combines a tandem tilt-wing design with a hybrid propulsion system consisting of hydrogen turboprops and electric motors. In terms of infrastructure, the innovative SkyBus comes with different requirements than most two-seat eVTOLs. On one hand, it requires a large, solid landing pad. It should be 40 x 40 meters (131 feet) in size and able to support the 17-ton bus of the skies
.
On the other hand, while future air taxis only need electric charging stations, hybrid alternatives such as the Lye aircraft require a complex setup with hydrogen power and SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) supplies. This is where Volatus Infrastructure & Energy Solutions (VI&E) comes in. This infrastructure expert has teamed up with the British manufacturer to develop the adequate ecosystem for this 40-seat eVTOL in the US.
Primarily, VI&E will develop a dedicated landing pad and will provide refueling stations for both SAF and hydrogen in addition to its multi-model electric charging station. In the future, we'll see vertiports where different types of innovative eVTOLs can operate, not just the ones that are fully electric. Hybrid aircraft operations imply the existence of complex vertiports that can supply green hydrogen and sustainable fuel.
VI&E was founded just two years ago but isn't afraid to go big. Its product range includes three different types of modular vertiports (a standard vertiport, a larger vertihub, and a smaller vertistop) as well as universal, multi-modal charging stations that are compatible with all kinds of electric vehicles, including boats.
Lyte Aviation is planning to launch the commercial version of the SkyBus in approximately four years, together with its cargo version, named SkyTruck.
This innovative concept was unveiled earlier this year as the flagship of Lyte Aviation, a UK-based startup. In addition to the 40 passengers, the SkyBus will also carry two pilots onboard and a two-person crew, but this large aircraft doesn't just boast impressive capacity. It also promises to be six times faster than a ground-based bus and up to five times more fuel efficient compared to conventional helicopters. Plus, it will also be drastically quieter than helicopters, reducing noise pollution by ten times.
The SkyBus isn't purely electric. It combines a tandem tilt-wing design with a hybrid propulsion system consisting of hydrogen turboprops and electric motors. In terms of infrastructure, the innovative SkyBus comes with different requirements than most two-seat eVTOLs. On one hand, it requires a large, solid landing pad. It should be 40 x 40 meters (131 feet) in size and able to support the 17-ton bus of the skies
.
On the other hand, while future air taxis only need electric charging stations, hybrid alternatives such as the Lye aircraft require a complex setup with hydrogen power and SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) supplies. This is where Volatus Infrastructure & Energy Solutions (VI&E) comes in. This infrastructure expert has teamed up with the British manufacturer to develop the adequate ecosystem for this 40-seat eVTOL in the US.
Primarily, VI&E will develop a dedicated landing pad and will provide refueling stations for both SAF and hydrogen in addition to its multi-model electric charging station. In the future, we'll see vertiports where different types of innovative eVTOLs can operate, not just the ones that are fully electric. Hybrid aircraft operations imply the existence of complex vertiports that can supply green hydrogen and sustainable fuel.
VI&E was founded just two years ago but isn't afraid to go big. Its product range includes three different types of modular vertiports (a standard vertiport, a larger vertihub, and a smaller vertistop) as well as universal, multi-modal charging stations that are compatible with all kinds of electric vehicles, including boats.
Lyte Aviation is planning to launch the commercial version of the SkyBus in approximately four years, together with its cargo version, named SkyTruck.
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