Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel and avionics giant Honeywell this week formed a partnership to work on a solution to urban air mobility.
The companies will work together to integrate Honeywell avionics, navigation and flight control systems onto a future Pipistrel electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
“This is the beginning of a long-term relationship to collectively pursue the future of urban air mobility,” said Ivo Boscarol, Founder and President of Pipistrel. “Honeywell’s expertise in integrated avionics and flight control systems, systems integration, certification and manufacturing, combined with our capabilities in designing and developing advanced light aircraft, makes us the perfect pairing to advance the urban air mobility market."
Pipistrel was chosen to be one of Uber’s vehicle development partners for their urban mobility solution. Their eVTOL features next generation propulsion technology for achieving embedded lift, which the company believes will address efficiency and noise hurdles in vehicle lift, hover, and cruise.
“The urban air mobility market is a challenging space, but one that Honeywell is well positioned to support and grow,” said Carl Esposito, president, Electronic Solutions. “Companies looking to make breakthroughs in urban air mobility face a wide range of technical, safety, certification and business challenges that come with developing a new mode of travel in an already very dense air traffic environment.
"An understanding of the aerospace complexities and legacy of innovative technologies can make all the difference in addressing this emerging market."
Pipistrel has vast experience with electric propulsion systems for aircraft. In 2011, they won the NASA Green Flight Challenge, which was the largest aviation prize in history at $1.5 million. Pipistrel is producing 13 different models of two-seat aircraft, among which the Alpha Electro and the Taurus Electro feature an all-electric propulsion.