Based at Cranfield Technology Park, the company is developing eStarling for intercity mobility by combining a helicopter’s vertical ability with the speed and range of a business jet.
With a semi blended wing body design and powered by sustainable aviation fuel, SAMAD Aerospace say eStarling will be the fastest hybrid eVTOL aircraft in the world (cruising speed of 300mph) with the longest range (800 miles). It will transport passengers ‘helipad-helipad’ avoiding the need to travel to and from airports.
Previous testing has developed conventional take-off and landing, and the company says recent tethered hover tests followed by full hover tests ‘demonstrated a very agile and stable prototype with hovering and helicopter moves.’
The company adds that the most recent hover tests were performed over a crane system and were focused on the validation of the flight control system in hovering mode. The aircraft is said to have consumed 65 per cent of the available power to take off and hover ‘with a healthy power surplus for adverse weather conditions.’
Dr. Seyed Mohseni, CEO of SAMAD Aerospace, said: “The importance of these recent flight tests is the initial validation of autopilot that has been developed by the SAMAD Aerospace team.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eguEdvpTso
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