A few years from now, people in Australia will have access to zero-emission aircraft-based services, from air taxi travel to aeromedical and firefighting. AMSL Aero has not only developed what it's considered to be the first eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) designed and manufactured in Australia, but is also pioneering hydrogen as an aviation fuel across the Southern Hemisphere.
Hydrogen-electric VTOLs aim to considerably upgrade standard eVTOLs in terms of range. These hybrid machines promise to drastically improve range capabilities by using green hydrogen, currently considered one of the safest and cleanest alternatives to conventional jet fuel. It will take longer for such aircraft to obtain certification and enter commercial service compared to purely electric air taxis, but the stakes are high enough to make the wait worthwhile.
Vertiia is the aircraft designed, manufactured, and tested by AMSL Aero, claiming to be a pioneer not just locally but globally, and it's all due to hydrogen. By adding this clean fuel to its electric propulsion, Vertiia claims to become the passenger VTOL with the longest range – more specifically, up to 1,000 km (621 miles).
Luckily, the Aussie company isn't all talk and no action. After successfully flying the Vertiia eVTOL for the first time last year, it's now working hard to kick off hydrogen-powered test flights next year.
Conducting ground tests at one of Australia's most important airports is the first major step in that direction. Bankstown Airport, the third-largest in the country, is gearing up for historic action. Together with Aeria Management Group, AMSL is introducing hydrogen fuel for the first time at this airport. And it's not a premiere just for Sydney, but for all airports in the Southern Hemisphere.
First, the powertrain will be tested using on-site hydrogen fuel cells at the airport. Next, the fuel will be integrated into the hybrid eVTOL for upcoming flight tests.
Vertiia aims to be more than a zero-emission air taxi. Its long range could bring huge benefits to essential operations such as firefighting, medical air transportation, and cargo, especially in a country like Australia, which has specific geographical challenges.
Additionally, Vertiia will have a rippling effect on the country's green fuel industry. Launching hydrogen-powered flights will give the domestic fuel industry a tremendous boost. Also, with a homemade hybrid aircraft and a beefed-up alternative energy sector, Australia has a real potential to become a regional leader, and that's exactly what it's aiming for in the long run.
This pioneering VTOL was designed by inventor, aeronautical engineer and pilot Andrew Moore as a contemporary version of the box kite. The box kite was designed by another Australian, Lawrence Hargrave, more than 130 years ago, and was also a trailblazing concept at the time.
The hydrogen-electric Vertiia is set to obtain certification and enter service by 2027.
Source:www.autoevolution.com
