From Hybrid to Hydrogen: Development and Optimization of Air Taxi Layout Schemes and Propulsion Systems for Urban Mobility Applications

• Autorzy: Loginov Vasyl , Ukrainets Yevgen , Shevchenko Sergiy , Loginov Anton

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.2478/tar-2025-0002

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The rapid expansion of urban air mobility (UAM) is transforming the market of short-distance transportation, offering a sustainable alternative to ground-based transit systems. The first part of this paper analyzes various propulsion system layouts and aircraft configurations that have been proposed for air taxis, emphasizing their applicability in both passenger and cargo transport. A comprehensive review of existing eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) designs is conducted, highlighting the advantages and limitations of hybrid-electric and hydrogen-based propulsion systems. The study explores the integration of new aerodynamic schemes, such as tiltrotors and flying wings, with advanced energy management strategies to enhance efficiency and flight range. Next, in the second part of this paper, a hydrogen-powered vertical take-off and landing (HydVTOL) aircraft concept, named XFlight, is proposed, in two transport options. The first has a hydrogen-electric power plant inside the body, while the second option has it outside the body. The XFlight design aims to offer greater flight range, higher cruise speeds, enhanced system redundancy, and zero harmful emissions, making it a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to current VTOL and eVTOL solutions. The findings underscore the potential of hydrogen propulsion in shaping the next generation of UAM vehicles, offering a pathway to greater autonomy, cost-effectiveness, and scalability in urban transportation networks.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

urban air mobility; air taxi; hybrid propulsion; hydrogen-powered aircraft; electric motor

• Wydawca: Wydawnictwa Naukowe Sieci Badawczej Łukasiewicz - Instytutu Lotnictwa
• Czasopismo: Transactions on Aerospace Research
• Rocznik: 2025
• Tom: Nr 1 (278)
• Strony: 27--54
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 53 poz., fot., rys., tab.

Twórcy

autor

Loginov Vasyl

• Department of Programs and Projects FED JSC, 132, Sumska St., Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61023

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4915-7407

autor

Ukrainets Yevgen

• Department of the Design and Strength of Aircraft and Engines, Ivan Kozhedub National University of the Air Force, 77/79, Sumska St., Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61023

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7674-0588

autor

Shevchenko Sergiy

• Department of the Design and Strength of Aircraft and Engines, Ivan Kozhedub National University of the Air Force, 77/79, Sumska St., Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61023

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9000-5352

autor

Loginov Anton

• National Aerospace University "KhAI", 17, Chkalov St., Kharkiv, 61023, Ukraine

• https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9299-4318

Bibliografia

• [1] Dunn N. Analysis of urban air transportation operational constraints and customer value attributes [dissertation]. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 2018.
• [2] Day DA, Hartman C. Advancing Aerial Mobility: The National Blueprint. Washington, DC; 2020. p. 52-54.
• [3] European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Study on the societal acceptance of Urban Air Mobility in Europe. 2021 Available from: https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/uam-full-report.pdf
• [4] Giges N. Demand for Flying Taxis Lifts Electric Aircraft Market. 2020. Available from: https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/demand-flying-taxis-lifts-electric-aircraft
• [5] Hasan S. Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Market Study. 2019. Available from: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190026762
• [6] Porsche Consulting. The Economics of Vertical Mobility: A guide for investors, players, and lawmakers to succeed in urban air mobility. 2021. Available from: https://www.porsche-consulting.com/fileadmin/docs/04_Medien/Publikationen/395491_The_Economics_of_Vertical_Mobility/The_Economics_of_Vertical_Mobility_-_A_Porsche_Consulting_Study.pdf
• [7] Rajendran S, Srinivas S. Air Taxi Service for Urban Mobility: A Critical Review of Recent Developments, Future Challenges, and Opportunities. 2021. p. 20.
• [8] Datta A. Commercial Intra-City On-Demand Electric-VTOL Status of Technology. An AHS/NARI Transformative Vertical Flight Working Group - 2; 2018. Available from: https://vtol.org/files/dmfile/TVF.WG2.YR2017draft.pdf
• [9] Bacchini A, Cestino E. Electric VTOL configurations comparison. Aerospace. 2019;6(3):19.
• [10] Gorton SA. NASA Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology Project Research. In: Aircraft Noise and Emission Symposium. Long Beach, CA; 2018.
• [11] Polaczyk N, Trombino E, Wei P, Mitici MA. Review of Current Technology and Research in Urban On-Demand Air Mobility Applications. 2019. Available from: https://www.aere.iastate.edu/~pwei/proceedings/vfs19_nick.pdf
• [12] Kotorova N. Aerotaksi: kto razrabatyvaet passazhirskie koptery [Air taxis: Who is developing passenger copters]. 2019. Available from: https://teletype.in/@transformatortv/Hyoc5hwNS [in Russian]
• [13] Lilium. The first electric vertical take-off and landing jet. 2021. Available from: https://lilium.com/jet
• [14] Sirius Aviation. Sirius Jet: A Revolution in Regional & Urban Air Mobility. 2021. Available from: https://siriusjet.com/
• [15] Pantuo Pantala. Letayushchee taksi Pantuo Pantala Concept H. 2021. Available from: https://building-tech.org/Транспорт/letayushchee-taksy-pantuo-pantala-concept-h-yz-shankhaya-viglyadet-kak-lilium-jet-no-obeshchaet-dostych-bolee-visokykh-skorostey [in Russian]
• [16] Bell Flight. BELL NEXUS. Available from: https://www.bellflight.com/products/bell-nexus
• [17] Sychev V. Bespilotnoe aerotaksi ot Kitty Hawk podnyalos’ v nebo Novoj Zelandii [Unmanned air taxi from Kitty Hawk takes off into the skies of New Zealand]. 2018. Available from: https://ecotechnica.com.ua/transport/3228-bespilotnoe-aerotaksi-cora-podnyalos-v-nebo-novoj-zelandii-video.html [in Russian].
• [18] Volocopter. URBAN AIR MOBILITY Innovation for a better city. 2021. Available from: https://www.volocopter.com/urban-air-mobility/
• [19] Volocopter. VOLOCONNECT - Intelligent, extended urban transport. 2021. Available from: https://www.volocopter.com/solutions/voloconnect/
• [20] Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce predstavila koncept gibridnogo konvertoplana [Rolls-Ryce presents the concept of a converitplane]. 2018. Available from: https://nplus1.ru/news/2018/07/16/rolls-royce [in Russian].
• [21] McFly Aero. The Air Taxi Infrastructure. Available from: https://mcfly.aero/
• [22] Bartini Aero. Electric vertical take off and landing autonomous aerial vehicle. 2021. Available from: https://bartini.aero/
• [23] Transcend Air. Transcend Air Vy 400. 2021. Available from: https://www.transcend.aero
• [24] Transcend Air. Faster, affordable, safe. 2021. Available from: https://transcend.aero/aircraft
• [25] eVTOL News. Transcend Air Vy 400. 2021. Available from: https://evtol.news/transcend-air-vy-400/
• [26] YASA. YASA 750 Product Sheet. 2018. Available from: https://www.yasa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/YASA-750-Product-Sheet.pdf
• [27] Vertical Aerospace. Revolutionising urban air mobility and electrifying air travel. 2021. Available from: https://vertical-aerospace.com/about-us/
• [28] EHang. EHang AAV - The Era of Urban Air Mobility is Coming. 2021. Available from: https://www.ehang.com/ehangaav/
• [29] EHang. The future of transportation: White paper on urban air mobility systems. 2020. Available from: https://www.ehang.com/app/en/EHang%20White%20Paper%20on%20Urban%20Air%20Mobility%20Systems.pdf
• [30] Fraundorfer Aero. TENSOR 600X - Anytime. Any place. Any condition. 2019. Available from: https://www.fraundorfer.aero/tensor-600x/
• [31] Nemeckaya kompaniya predstavila shestimestnoe elektricheskoe aerotaksi [German company presents a six-seat electric air taxi]. 2019. Available from: http://abcnews.com.ua/ru/news/nemetskaia-kompaniia-predstavila-shestimestnoe-elektricheskoe-aerotaksi [in Russian].
• [32] Aston Martin. Innovation in personal air mobility. 2021. Available from: https://www.astonmartin.com/en/models/special-projects/the-aston-martin-volante-vision-concept-2019
• [33] ONERA. AMPERE project. 2021. Available from: https://www.onera.fr/sites/default/files/actualites/breves/Fiche_AMPERE_VA.pdf
• [34] Pervoe letayushchee na vodorode taksi [The first hydrogen-powered flying taxi]. 2019. Available from: http://abcnews.com.ua/ru/news/v-ssha-pokazali-pervoe-letaiushchee-na-vodorode-taksi-video [in Russian].
• [35] Skai. Fueled by Hydrogen. Powered by Simplicity. 2021. Available from: https://www.skai.co/
• [36] Uber i Hyundai predstavili elektricheskoe aerotaksi [Uber and Hyundai present an electric air taxi]. 2020. Available from: https://ua.news/ru/uber-i-hyundai-predstavili-elektricheskoe-aerotaksi/ [in Russian].
• [37] Granovsky O. Elektricheskij samolyot Alice izrail’skoj kompanii Eviation [Electric aircraft Alice from Israeli company Eviation]. 2019. Available from: https://oleggranovsky.livejournal.com/278616.html [in Russian].
• [38] Eviation. ALICE: All Electric - All Ready. 2021. Available from: https://www.eviation.co/
• [39] Sychev V. Terrafugia predstavila polnorazmernyj prototip elektricheskogo aerotaksi [Terrafugia presents a full-size prototype of an electric air taxi]. 2020. Available from: https://aviator.guru/blog/43199480195/Terrafugia-predstavila-polnorazmernyiy-prototip-elektricheskogo-?utm_referrer=mirtesen.ru [in Russian].
• [40] Toyota investirovala v elektricheskie aerotaksi startapa Joby Aviation [Toyota invests in the electric air taxi startup Joby Aviation]. 2020. Available from: https://hi-tech.ua/toyota-investirovala-v-elektricheskie-aerotaksi-startapa-joby-aviation/ [in Russian].
• [41] Tihoe letayushchee taksi ot e.SAT budet rabotat na mezhdugorodnih marshrutah [The silent flying taxi from e.SAT will operate on intercity routes]. 2020. Available from: https://ecotechnica.com.ua/transport/4754-tikhoe-letayushchee-taksi-ot-e-sat-budet-rabotat-na-mezhdugorodnikh-marshrutakh.html [in Russian].
• [42] eSat. The Silent Air Taxi Project - Advanced Aircraft Concepts for General Aviation. 2019. Available from: https://iasaev.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/13-RWTH-Aachen-Stumpf-Silent_Air_Taxi.pdf
• [43] Zart N. Hybrid Airplane Could of Tesla. 2020. Available from: https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/hybrid-electric-airplane-rewrite-aviation-two-years-2919373/
• [44] VoltAero. Cassio propulsion. 2021. Available from: https://www.voltaero.aero/en/propulsion/
• [45] Danilov O. This changes everything. 2020. Available from: https://itc.ua/news/kompaniya-otto-aviation-raskryla-tehnicheskie-harakteristiki-svoego-revolyuczionnogo-samoleta-puli-celera-500l/
• [46] Pipistrel Aircraft. NUUVA V300: The future of air cargo transport. 2020. Available from: https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/aircraft/nuuva-v300/
• [47] Spanoudakis P, Doitsidis L, Tsourveloudis N, Valavanis K. Vertical Takeoff and Landing vehicle market overview. Korea. 2003;1:3-5.
• [48] Shakhatreh H, Sawalmeh AH, Al-Fuqaha A, Dou Z, Almaita E, Khalil I, Othman NS, Khreishah A, Guizani M. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): A survey on civil applications and key research challenges. IEEE Access. 2019;7:48572-48634.
• [49] Shkarayev S, Moschetta J-M, Bataille B. Aerodynamic design of micro air vehicles for vertical flight. J Aircraft. 2019;45(5):1715-24.
• [50] Shakhatreh H, Sawalmeh AH, Al-Fuqaha A, Dou Z, Almaita E, Khalil I, Othman NS, Khreishah A, Guizani M. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): A survey on civil applications and key research challenges. IEEE Access. 2019;7:48572-634.
• [51] Boeing. V-22 Osprey. 2017. Available from: http://www.boeing.com/defense/v-22-osprey
• [52] Bell Flight. Innovative capabilities. 2021. Available from: https://www.bellflight.com/products/bell-apt
• [53] Krupnyj gruzovoj dron APT 70 sovershil svoj pervyj polet [Large cargo drone APT 70 makes its first flight]. 2019. Available from: https://creativity.ua/business-and-innovations/krupnyj-gruzovoj-dron-apt-70-sovershil-svoj-pervyj-polet [in Russian].