Volkswagen Group China unveiled its first electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) passenger drone prototype, as part of its strategy to explore and break new ground in fully electric and sustainable individual mobility concepts.

In 2020, Volkswagen Group China launched a Vertical Mobility project to explore the next generation of mobility solutions, including the urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace. After intensive research, conceptual work, and development, the project team has now developed its first validation model:the V.MO.

This initial prototype has also been nicknamed the Flying Tiger due to its distinctive black and gold livery, which was painted to commemorate its launch in the Year of the Tiger.

The prototype concept is based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology for emission-free mobility. With a luxury X-wing configuration of 11.2m in length and a span width of 10.6m, the model features eight rotors for vertical lift and two propellers for horizontal flight.

The Group will conduct several flight tests later this year to optimize the concept and an improved prototype will undergo further advanced test flights by late summer 2023. In its final future iteration, the fully electric and automated eVTOL could eventually carry four passengers plus luggage over a distance of up to 200 km.

Through this pilot project, we are bringing Volkswagen’s long tradition of precision engineering, design, and innovation to the next level, by developing a premium product that will serve the vertical mobility needs of our future tech savvy Chinese customers. This is a pioneering project which our young team of Chinese experts started from scratch—they are working with new design concepts and materials while developing new safety standards, disrupting and innovating every step of the way.

The launch of this stunning validation model—the V.MO—is the first of many remarkable milestones on our exciting journey towards urban air travel, and a perfect example of our ‘From China, For China’ mission. Our long-term aim is to industrialize this concept and, like a ‘Flying Tiger’, break new ground in this emerging and fast-evolving new mobility market.—Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China

Volkswagen Group China is rapidly expanding local R&D and software expertise to respond faster to what customers want and accelerate the pace of innovation significantly. The Vertical Mobility project requires interdisciplinary and innovative thinking in a new field, and the Group formed a team of young, local experts to drive it forward. They have been supported by Chinese partners including Hunan Sunward Technology, a subsidiary of Hunan-based manufacturing group Sunward. The company specializes in aviation product development, sales and services and is a market leader in the light sport aircraft industry.

Urban air mobility is a fast-emerging market which aims to utilize air space for short- and medium-distance connections, especially above and between large cities. In China, it is set to play a significant role in the future of urban and intercity transportation in its congested megacities.

In the first phase of its commercial use, V.MO is likely to be pitched as a premium product for high-net worth tech savvy Chinese customers, for example for VIP air shuttle services. eVTOL air vehicles will be able to transport passengers more quickly and efficiently than current conventional means of terrestrial transport and with greater flexibility. As the Vertical Mobility project develops, Volkswagen Group China will work with the relevant Chinese authorities to achieve certification.

Posted on 30 July 2022 in Aviation & Aerospace, China, Market Background, Urban Air Mobility, Vehicle Manufacturers | Permalink | Comments (11)

Not madly keen on it.

Plenty of exposed blades to slice and dice unsuspecting Chinese customers.

Posted by: Davemart | 30 July 2022 at 01:39 AM

Agree. Same sentiment. While electric motors have reduced or eliminated the complexity of multi-rotor aircraft. There looks like little need beyond four rotors. Joby does a good job with 6, though they could drop two and still have a low disk loading.

Posted by: Gryf | 30 July 2022 at 09:05 AM

They have split the issues of lift and forward motion, rather than rotating them as Joby do:

https://www.yankodesign.com/2022/07/29/volkswagen-just-announced-that-theyve-been-working-on-their-first-evtol-flying-car/

Posted by: Davemart | 30 July 2022 at 10:16 AM

We need ducted fan vectored thrust

Posted by: SJC | 30 July 2022 at 10:17 AM

The Lillium design looks great, if only it can be made to work, and work reliably.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2021/02/10/lilium-evtol-spac-air-taxi/

they are really pushing it with their hoped for specs.

Posted by: Davemart | 30 July 2022 at 10:44 AM

A ducted quad copter with a wing would be better

Posted by: SJC | 30 July 2022 at 12:12 PM

Anyone working on something like that?

There are so many variants around that I lose track....

Posted by: Davemart | 30 July 2022 at 12:51 PM

The one I fancied last time I looked into it for early electric air mobility, trainers aside, was the Velocopter

https://www.volocopter.com/solutions/volocity/

the reason for that is on the tech sheets:

https://www.volocopter.com/wp-content/uploads/20220607_VoloCity_Specs.pdf

Its the 5 minute exchangeable battery packs.

In early technology I always prefer it when a design criteria can be relaxed, instead of relying on smashing it with technological advance.

Repeatedly fast charging batteries, which you have to do in many commercial environment to give enough working hours of use, is tough on batteries.

That is annoying in a truck, and is one of the reasons I am dubious about batteries for long distance heavy load trucking, but it is rather more than annoying if your batteries decide that enough is enough when you are in flight.

No massive disc load, as in the Lillium.

No reliance on fast charging, as in the Joby.

Swap out the batteries, and make them last longer by charging them up slowly.

Modest range of 35km too, so no need for massive batteries.

Posted by: Davemart | 30 July 2022 at 01:24 PM

https://spectrum.ieee.org/sabrewing-plans-a-cargo-drone-that-can-detect-and-avoid-obstacles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2UCK3pCFjk&ab_channel=NileshGandhi

Posted by: SJC | 30 July 2022 at 06:57 PM

The bladeless drone is just cool! I want one!

I had a look at the Sabrewing site:

https://www.sabrewingaircraft.com/cargo-uav/

but could see nothing at all about how they intend to power it, what batteries etc.

And for another quibble, folding wings sound complicated, at first blush.

Posted by: Davemart | 31 July 2022 at 01:26 AM

And being Grinchish on the Dyson drone thing, as it says in the comments:

' I think you'll find the same problem others have when trying to use entrained airflow in this manner: works fine for vertical motion, falls apart when you start moving sideways'

Loads of other quibbles which sound pretty reasonable in the comments, too.

Posted by: Davemart | 31 July 2022 at 01:31 AM

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