The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has officially approved Skyfly Axe VCA to perform manned in-flight transitions between VTOL hover and winged flight.
The CAA has authorized test pilots Dr. Bill Brooks and Phil Hall to begin flight transition testing of the Axe VCA. These critical tests involve transitioning the Axe from rotor-borne hover flight to airplane-style wing-borne flight.
Veronte, the Autopilot Behind the Axe’s Flight Controls
Veronte Autopilot from Embention, integrated into the AXE eVTOL, includes advanced features for both fully autonomous flight and fly-by-wire flight controlled by an on-board pilot, and allows to perform the necessary maneuvers to transition from rotor-borne hover flight to airplane-style wing flight and vice versa.
Embention develops avionics systems for eVTOL to meet the most demanding end-user requirements, including flight control systems, motor controllers, wiring optimization systems, etc. All this combines outstanding expertise in aircraft electronics development and certification experience.
With a clear focus on reliability and certification, Veronte Autopilots are developed according to the DO178C, DO254 and DO160G certification standards. It permits to generate the reliability evidence required for facing an aircraft certification process.
The ability to make transitions of this nature without relying on moving parts – such as rotating motors or vectored thrust – is a design feature of the Axe and a key differentiator from other VCAs and eVTOLs. This allows the Axe VCA to leverage the safety and performance advantages of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
In nose-up flight, the Axe’s eight engines drive four large rotors to generate lift, allowing the Axe to take off and land like a multicopter. To transition to forward flight, the nose is lowered, allowing the rotors to generate forward propulsion and the wings to generate lift.
