The innovative Midnight flying taxi with twelve propellers and electric drive is a combination of a helicopter and a classic aeroplane.
Most cities of millions or urban agglomerations struggle with the problem of insufficient optimization of traffic flows. It is usually not possible to ensure transport in such a way that all transport participants travel to their destination smoothly and without major delays. The problem is more pronounced when several means of transport, including air transport, need to be combined.
Propeller aircraft with electric drive and vertical takeoff
The California company Archer Aviation recently presented a unique means of transport, which is supposed to transport passengers in an urban environment without the risk of traffic jams. Propeller aircraft with electric drive and vertical takeoff and landing belong to the category eVTOL (all-electric vertical takeoff and landing). Part of the flying machine called Midnight is an unusually large number of propellers – up to twelve in total: six five-blade folding propellers are used for both horizontal and vertical flight, six other fixed two-blade propellers support only vertical flight. The aircraft is a high-wing aircraft with V-shaped tail surfaces and fixed three-point landing gear. The source of electrical energy to drive the propellers is a system of six independently connected batteries.
The parameters
Archer has so far published only the most important technical parameters. The plane is designed for one pilot and four passengers. The cruising speed is 241 km/h, the cruising height is only 610 meters. The range depends on various circumstances and can be a maximum of 80 kilometers, which is sufficient considering the purpose of the aircraft. The maximum cargo weight is 456 kg (passengers plus luggage), the maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 3,175 kg. The manufacturer believes that the American agency FAA will grant the Midnight aircraft certification at the end of 2024, and in 2025 the taxi will start flying on the first regular route. It should be a United Airlines line connecting the O’Hare International Airport in Chicago with the Vertiport heliport, the largest North American heliport. A line from the Chicago airport to the center of the city, where United Airlines is based, should also be introduced later. Archer has announced that its ambitious goal is to have about 6,000 Midnight flying taxis in use worldwide by 2030.
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