Vertical Aerospace’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solution is expected to be the Rolls-Royce — luxury engineering — of passenger drones. This means that the electrical power system of Rolls-Royce will be integrated into Vertical Aerospace’s “piloted all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle.”*
According to a press release, the drone will carry as many as four passengers for 120 miles at cruise speeds of more than 200 mph and is expected to be certified in 2024, with the first flight of the Vertical Aerospace aircraft taking place as early as this year.
Rolls-Royce is not alone in this futuristic venture, but one of several automotive brands collaborating in the sector. “Vertical Aerospace is a key collaboration for Rolls-Royce Electrical as it marks our first commercial deal in the UAM market and builds on previous agreements to work with partners on demonstrator programmes”* which is more evidence that the urban air mobility market is continuing to grow in importance.
The company explains: “Electrification of flight is an important part of Rolls-Royce’s sustainability strategy and supports our aim to contribute to a net zero carbon future by 2050.”*
In fact, Rolls-Royce has already invested significantly in electric vehicle technology, such as for land, air, and marine transportation systems.
This partnership is made up of about 100 Rolls-Royce specialist electrical engineers who will work with Vertical Aerospace, based in the UK, to design the system’s architecture of the whole electrical propulsion system.
Rolls-Royce Electrical Director, Rob Watson, expressed his enthusiasm for this significant, transforming collaboration with Vertical Aerospace:
“We are delighted to collaborate with Vertical Aerospace for the electrical technology that will power their pioneering eVTOL aircraft. This exciting opportunity demonstrates our ambitions to be a leading supplier of sustainable
complete power systems for the new Urban Air Mobility market which has the potential to transform the way that people and freight move from city to city.”*
Future
Vertical Aerospace’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solution — the Rolls Royce of luxury engineering of passenger drones — will be a game-changer because it introduces a piloted all-electric take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle.The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market is likely to transform the way that people and freight move from city to city by a vehicle/drone that can carry as many as four passengers for 120 miles at cruise speeds of over 200 mph with the first flight taking place as early as this year.
