Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft are on the agenda at the moment. Many companies are working at a fever pitch to create the new class of clean, quiet, and inexpensive air taxis that many believe will fundamentally transform our cities in the coming decades.
There are designs of all kinds for this new type of vehicle. However, the New York start-up Kelekona has presented something radically different from the rest, since while other companies are offering five-seat models, Kelekona has shown a model that could fit up to 40 people. In addition, it could also be used to transport goods, with a load capacity of 4,540 kilos.
A very technical and complex machine
As for the technical characteristics of this type of project, they are as follows: it would use a 3.6 megawatt battery that would be interchangeable and rechargeable in less than an hour. 80% of its weight (about 13,600 kilos) would be said batteries. It would have a capacity of 40 people or 10,000 pounds, reaching a speed of up to 200 miles per hour. You will have to fly at about 100 mph before you can lean on your lift body. In addition, you will not need the creation of a new infrastructure since traditional heliports could be used.
To rise above the ground, this vehicle will use four rotors with two electric fans on each side, providing enough power to achieve great speed. As the company itself gives an example, the distance between Los Angeles and San Francisco could be covered in less than an hour.
Flight characteristics
Once the flight height was reached, said fans would tilt forward to initiate horizontal flight. In addition, another of the characteristics that differentiates this Kelekona project from other companies is that the other aircraft use huge wings to glide, while the Kelekona would take advantage of its structure to stay in the air without losing efficiency.
The fuselage has a thick, flat and very wide shape, and its side profile is similar to the shape of teardrops, while the front part is round. At the bottom, the shape is flat, while at the top, it tends to be dome-shaped, making it a lifting surface. The result is a stable appearance, which saves distance and has some similarities to airships.
In 2019, the diverse team that makes up this project began to be formed. They all have different origins. For example, one of the engineers has a background at Tesla , so it’s interesting to be able to talk about the battery technology he worked on there, and especially this flying battery approach.