Skyfly’s Axe EVTOL will be one of the most exciting features of the Farnborough International Sustainable Skies World Summit (Monday 17th-Tuesday 18th April 2023).
The summit, which is linked to the famous Farnborough International Airshow, is aimed to stimulate and further Sustainable Aviation by bringing together leading policy makers, innovators and experts, as well as showcasing a broad range of future aviation technology.
Skyfly is excited to be part of the solution, with its Axe personal 2 seat EVTOL offering an emissions-free alternative to cars, helicopters and light aircraft – while also offering dramatically shorter journey times in greater comfort and safety than existing travel options.
Skyfly has been invited to exhibit the Axe EVTOL on both days of the summit. Subject to continued good progress on the construction of the first series production Axe, we are hoping to be able to unveil the first completed fuselage section at our exhibition booth.
The event is open to all, and tickets can be obtained for free online.
“After years of developing, building, flying and testing the Axe EVTOL prototype, the Axe two-seat private EVTOL is now in series production with manned test flights in a few months. We are delighted to now go public at the world class forum of Farnborough International, where we will be the only manufacturer of sustainable private vertical take-off and landing aircraft,” said Jaap Rademaker, CCO, Skyfly
“We are thrilled that Farnborough International has recognised Skyfly’s role in shaping a more sustainable, environmentally-responsible future for the aviation industry. We cannot wait to show off the Axe EVTOL to the public for the first time,” said Adam Landau, press & communications, Skyfly.
Members of the public and press are welcome to attend the summit to meet the Skyfly team and view our progress as we move towards the Axe’s first manned test flights this summer. We will be happy to pre-arrange interview appointments if desired; please email Adam Landau (adam.landau@skyflytech.com) to arrange this. We will also be at AERO Friedrichshafen on the 21st-22nd April.
What is the Axe EVTOL?
With a fully-electric range of 100 miles, or 200 miles with an optional hybrid generator, and a cruise speed of 100mph, the Axe by Skyfly is a truly revolutionary two-seat EVTOL aircraft available for USD 180,000. It is designed for personal use and is as easy to fly as a consumer camera drone. Thanks to its small footprint and low noise, the Axe can be kept at home and flown directly to a destination, in complete comfort and with aerial views to enjoy, without traffic jams or bumpy roads.
Its unique four-winged design (patent pending), developed by renowned aeronautical engineer Dr William Brooks, enables the Axe not just to take off and land vertically like a helicopter, but also to fly, take off and land like a conventional airplane. This globally unique ability to also take off and land on a runway means Skyfly’s Axe is the only personal two-seat EVTOL aircraft that you can fly with any existing airplane pilot’s license. By providing lift, the wings also enable a much larger range compared to “rotors only” EVTOLs, an extra layer of safety due to its good glide performance, and a class-leading 30kw energy use in cruise – half that of a Tesla electric car.
The Axe also offers better safety than a helicopter, thanks to its eight-motor distributed propulsion, each with its own power supply and its glide ability, which is comparable to that of a Cessna. Additionally, the Axe is fitted with a ballistic parachute – which a helicopter can never have due to the positioning of its rotors.
Skyfly does not aim to develop an air taxi that shuttles commercial passengers into city centres, nor is it venturing down the onerous commercial certification route, which leads to high development costs. Instead, Skyfly follows existing certification routes for private kit-built aircraft, which greatly reduces costs for the owner and enables the Axe to be sold at a base price of 180,000 USD.
Unlike commercial air taxis, which require as-yet-unbuilt “vertiport” infrastructure, the Axe EVTOL can take off and land in a garden or any agricultural land where the landowner has given permission, without needing modifications or expensive infrastructure. This use is legal and well established, with many light aircraft owners operating in this way worldwide from private “farm strips”.
The Axe is not just an “idea” or “concept”, but a fully designed, prototype-tested aircraft, which is now in series production. Our team of aircraft engineers has developed the Axe as a versatile personal aircraft with strict focus on low weight and aerodynamic efficiency and performance – as an aircraft using lift from wings rather than a “rotors only” proposition which is too heavy and uses too much energy and is so also less sustainable. Apart from the use of wings, it also differs from other EVTOL manufacturers in that it uses existing technology from proven and certified suppliers to provide key components, including the propulsion system, battery system and flight control system. Furthermore, unlike other winged EVTOLs, it has no rotating motor or wing elements, but instead has fixed angle rotors, saving on weight, cost, complexity and maintenance. For more information about how the Axe stands out from other EVTOLs, watch our full explainer video.
Skyfly’s Chief engineer, Dr William Brooks, has designed the Axe with efficiency at its core, with the four wings giving it the highest energy efficiency in comparison to other two-seat EVTOL aircraft. Compared to many other EVTOL designs, which have no or inadequate wings, the Axe’s wings also generate useful lift, improving efficiency and with that range and safety, while also giving it the ability to fly, land and takeoff like a conventional fixed-wing airplane if required or desired for training or saving of energy to increase range even more.
Skyfly sees the Axe as a direct competitor to currently-available two seat airplanes or helicopters – one that is much easier to fly, safer, quieter and more affordable to buy, operate and maintain.
Following two years of development, CFD and CAD designing, followed by prototype flight testing, the Axe was officially launched in the summer of June 2022. In the months since then, the Axe EVTOL by Skyfly has secured dozens of orders and has attracted the attention of air mobility specialist investors. This backing allows Skyfly to push forward with its development schedule. The strong and lightweight composite fuselage tooling for series production has been manufactured and delivered, and with that, Skyfly is now building its first series production aircraft, with manned test flights due to begin mid-2023. Customer deliveries will follow at the end of 2024, when UK certification is expected.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Skyfly.
