Summary by ATFCars.com
Referenced article published on autoevolution.com on May 8, 2023 written by Otilia Drăgan. Link to original article:
German eVTOL Jet Starts Tests at Europe’s Largest Wind Tunnel
Ah, the world of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jets, where the thrill of innovation matches the rush of flight itself! Germany’s Lilium is truly setting the pace, having introduced the world’s first high-speed eVTOL jet. Now, in a significant milestone, they have begun testing a prototype at the largest wind tunnel in Europe, the DNW facility. Just think, this facility has been the crucible of Airbus’s trials and now welcomes the dawn of the eVTOL era!
The DNW, a legacy of the 1970s, was established by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR). Lilium chose it for the next phase of their eVTOL jet’s development due to its impressive size, accommodating a 1- to-2.5-scale model of the future aircraft. This model, considered one of the most advanced of its kind, will yield a complex dataset covering all flight phases from hover to cruise.
Lilium’s achievement mirrors that of California-based Joby, which tested its air taxi at the renowned NFAC at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley. The NFAC, the world’s largest wind tunnel, is a benchmark for advanced propeller testing.
The final version of Lilium’s eVTOL jet is slated to undergo piloted flight tests in the second half of 2024. It’s to be a six-passenger air taxi with 36 propellers, featuring proprietary Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust (DEVT) technology. Fitted with high-power density batteries from Ionblox, a custom pilot interface from Collins Aerospace, and a dedicated electrical system from GKN Aerospace, this jet is truly a marvel in the making.
Imagine a world where airports and helipads make way for these high-speed eVTOLs. Lilium’s progress signifies the coming of this age, bringing us one step closer to a future where the skies teem with these electric marvels! Isn’t it just exhilarating?
