AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2020 - 63

KAREM BUTTERFLY OSTR. Little is known about the OSTR

(Optimum Speed Tiltrotor), but illustrations show four
tiltrotors. Karem says that it's hiring workers for the
OSTR. Interesting factoid: Karem founder Abe Karem's
background includes work on DARPA's X-Plane VTOL and
General Atomics' MQ-1 Predator drone.

karemaircraft.com

the company was moving away from the 801 project for
now, knowing that regulators weren't ready. Uber, he
said, which has been publicizing a 2023 start date for
its eVTOL service, "now realizes that it's impossible
without an extended validation period."
After two to three years of experience with the
cargo drone, Pipistrel said it would be able to apply
insights to the 801. Target endurance of the drone is
set at 45 minutes to one hour. Other details about the
structure, dimensions, and propulsion of the drone
have yet to be revealed. At one point, rumor had it that
a hydrogen-cell/electric hybrid power configuration
was in the works. But Pipistrel Director of Research
and Development Tine Tomažič said, "As for our large
cargo-delivery UAV, we will be communicating about
the program at a separate occasion, when we are ready
to unveil the exact specifications, purpose, and capability. For the time being, let me just comment that
nowhere was a claim made that our cargo drone utilizes-or does not utilize-hybrid electric-hydrogen
propulsion. The type of propulsion will be unveiled
together with the vehicle itself."
BIG BUCKS

Previously obscure Joby Aviation secured $100 million in funding from Intel, Toyota, and JetBlue in
2018; another $590 million came from Toyota in 2019.
That put Joby on the map, on the financial pages, and
on the Uber Elevate roster. A prototype of Joby's S4
eVTOL made its first flight in 2018, but the company
keeps a tight clamp on news. Reports indicate it's a

PIPISTREL 801. This design has eight ducted fans for verti-

cal flight, a tail-mounted propeller for cruise flight, and a
blended-wing body (BWB). An autonomous design for five
passengers that can fly at 152 knots and cover 52 nautical
miles, Pipistrel announced it was suspending work on the
801 in favor of a hybrid cargo drone capable of flying 660
pounds of payload as far as 175 nm.

pipistrel-aircraft.com/pipistrel-unveils-801evtol-at-ubers-elevate-summit

six-tiltrotor design capable of doing 200 mph and flying for more than 150 nm. The company is based at the
Marina, California, Municipal Airport, where it plans
to have a 580,000-square-foot factory. In other news,
thedrive.com reports that Toyota may well be involved
in another eVTOL that's been flying at California's
Mojave Air and Space Port.
Hyundai is also in on the action. Recently added
to the Uber Elevate fleet, the Hyundai SA-1 has yet to
fly, but is currently scheduled to enter service in 2028.
Hyundai is also developing what it calls a PBV (purpose-built vehicle). Think of it as an autonomous cargo
pod or bus. It can serve as a shuttle between downtown
pickup locations and eVTOL hubs. It's all very futuristic. Just search for Hyundai PBV on YouTube.
The quietest recent move in the eVTOL world
must surely have been Rolls-Royce's acquisition of
electronics giant Siemens' electric and hybrid-electric
aerospace propulsion unit. For years it was Siemens
that set the tone and led the field in general aviation
electric motors. It dominated the scene, and made the
motors for virtually all electrically powered aircraft-
eVTOL or conventional configuration. More proof that
even industry stalwarts must move and shake when
disruptive trends work their way toward mainstream
acceptance.
More and more, it seems that eVTOLs will earn a
niche. The big money can make it happen. The question is when, and powered by which method. AOPA
EMAIL tom.horne@aopa.org
aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 63

http://www.karemaircraft.com http://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/pipistrel-unveils-801-evtol-at-ubers-elevate-summit http://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/pipistrel-unveils-801-evtol-at-ubers-elevate-summit http://www.thedrive.com http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2020

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