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

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

Transactions on Aerospace Research
Volume 2025 (2025): Issue 1 (March 2025)
By: Vasyl Loginov,  Yevgen Ukrainets,  Sergiy Shevchenko and  Anton Loginov  
Open Access
|Mar 2025

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.

The three primary eVTOL air taxi design configurations: (a) Vectored Thrust, (b) Lift+Cruise, (c) Wingless Multicopter [7].
The three primary eVTOL air taxi design configurations: (a) Vectored Thrust, (b) Lift+Cruise, (c) Wingless Multicopter [7].

Fig. 2.

Concepts of aircraft developed by NASA for UAM [10].
Concepts of aircraft developed by NASA for UAM [10].

Fig. 3.

Vahana project [12].
Vahana project [12].

Fig. 4.

CityAirbus project [12].
CityAirbus project [12].

Fig. 5.

Model of the 6-passenger serial Lilium Jet [13].
Model of the 6-passenger serial Lilium Jet [13].

Fig. 6.

The SiriusJet model with variable thrust vector [14].
The SiriusJet model with variable thrust vector [14].

Fig. 7.

The SiriusJet propulsion system [14].
The SiriusJet propulsion system [14].

Fig. 8.

The Pantuo Pantala Concept H project [15].
The Pantuo Pantala Concept H project [15].

Fig. 9.

The Bell Nexus 4EX and Bell Nexus 6HX air taxi projects [16].
The Bell Nexus 4EX and Bell Nexus 6HX air taxi projects [16].

Fig. 10.

The Kitty Hawk Cora project [18].
The Kitty Hawk Cora project [18].

Fig. 11.

The VoloCity project [19].
The VoloCity project [19].

Fig. 12.

The VoloConnect project [19].
The VoloConnect project [19].

Fig. 13.

The Rolls-Royce project [20].
The Rolls-Royce project [20].

Fig. 14.

The Bartini project [23].
The Bartini project [23].

Fig. 15.

The Hepard project [24].
The Hepard project [24].

Fig. 16.

The Vy 400 air taxi project [26].
The Vy 400 air taxi project [26].

Fig. 17.

The Vy 400R air taxi project [26].
The Vy 400R air taxi project [26].

Fig. 18.

The VA-X4 aircraft design [28].
The VA-X4 aircraft design [28].

Fig. 19.

The EHang 216 airtaxi project [29].
The EHang 216 airtaxi project [29].

Fig. 20.

The TENSOR 600X project [30].
The TENSOR 600X project [30].

Fig. 21.

The Volante Vision Concept [32].
The Volante Vision Concept [32].

Fig. 22.

The AMPERE project [33].
The AMPERE project [33].

Fig. 23.

Skai air taxi project [34].
Skai air taxi project [34].

Fig. 24.

Alice airplane design [39].
Alice airplane design [39].

Fig. 25.

The Joby Aviation aircraft design [40].
The Joby Aviation aircraft design [40].

Fig. 26.

The E.SAT aircraft project [41].
The E.SAT aircraft project [41].

Fig. 27.

Cassio 2 (VoltAero) project [43].
Cassio 2 (VoltAero) project [43].

Fig. 28.

Celera 500L project [45].
Celera 500L project [45].

Fig. 28.

Celera 500L project [45].
Celera 500L project [45].

Fig. 30.

Scheme of the airplane for transport (option 1).
Scheme of the airplane for transport (option 1).

Fig. 31.

Scheme of the airplane for transport option 1: the aircraft in transition position from vertical take-off to horizontal cruising flight (a) and process of changing from vertical flight to horizontal flight (b).
Scheme of the airplane for transport option 1: the aircraft in transition position from vertical take-off to horizontal cruising flight (a) and process of changing from vertical flight to horizontal flight (b).

Fig. 32.

Scheme of the airplane for transport (option 2).
Scheme of the airplane for transport (option 2).

Fig. 33.

Hydrogen-electric power plant scheme.
Hydrogen-electric power plant scheme.

Key air taxi design characteristics_

CharacteristicVectored ThrustLift+CruiseWingless
Tilt rotorTilt wingFixed horizontalFixed verticalWingless
Example of air taxiBell NexusAir bus VahanaKitty Hawk CoraCartercopterEHang 216
Speed, km/h288230180282100
Flying Range, km24110098.825635
Seating Capacity42242
Battery Density, kwh504063300110
Cruise Altitude, ft.2501,0003,00010,00010,000

UAV application concepts_

Number of passengers50 nm trips per full charge/refuelMarketTypePropulsion
11 × 50 nmAir TaxiMulticopterBattery
22 × 50 nmCommuter ScheduledSide-by-side (no tilt)Parallel Hybrid
44 × 50 nmMass Transit(Multi-)Tilt WingTurboelectric
68 × 50 nmAir Line(Multi-)Tilt RotorTurboshaft
15 Lift + CruiseHydrogen fuel cell
30 Vectored Thrust Compound
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/tar-2025-0002 | Journal eISSN: 2545-2835
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Language: English
Page range: 27 - 54
Submitted on: Dec 22, 2024
|
Accepted on: Feb 18, 2025
|
Published on: Mar 31, 2025
Published by: ŁUKASIEWICZ RESEARCH NETWORK – INSTITUTE OF AVIATION
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year
Keywords:
urban air mobility,
air taxi,
hybrid propulsion,
hydrogen-powered aircraft,
electric motor
Related subjects:
Engineering,
Introductions and overviews,
Engineering, other,
Geosciences,
Geosciences, other,
Materials sciences,
Materials sciences, other,
Physics,
Physics, other

© 2025 Vasyl Loginov, Yevgen Ukrainets, Sergiy Shevchenko, Anton Loginov, published by ŁUKASIEWICZ RESEARCH NETWORK – INSTITUTE OF AVIATION
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

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