Volumic 3D is very pleased to announce its collaboration with Ascendance Flight Technologies for the realization of functional prototypes of this new revolutionary flying vehicle. A particular work of 3D printing was focused on the realization of the hulls of large size.
The choice of lightweight, resistant and recyclable materials was the basis of AFT’s specifications. Very short prototyping times were at the origin of the success of this project in order to be able to make corrections almost in real time on the drawings and models.
Wind tunnel and flight tests could thus be carried out almost daily. It is the large printing formats offered by our latest 3D printers that brought the final touch to the project with models up to 65cm.
In figures Atea is :
- 4x less noise
- Up to 80% reduction in carbon emissions
- 400 km range of action
- Up to 2 hours flight time
- Rotation time of 10 min
Discover Atea, a low noise, low carbon VTOL (Vertical take off and landing aircraft) based on Sterna, a unique hybrid propulsion technology developed by Ascendance.
With a long range and fast turnaround time, it meets the operational requirements of today’s air mobility providers for a wide range of missions such as passenger transport and emergency medical services;
The entire aircraft has been designed in accordance with the requirements of the EASA SC-VTOL regulation. The aircraft also meets the current operational requirements of Air Ops regulations on flight routes and flight reserves.
- FLY CLEANER
Thanks to its unique hybrid propulsion system using a mixture of kerosene and batteries for optimized fuel consumption, it is now possible to fly more cleanly. But this is only the first step thanks to a modular architecture that is also compatible with a future hydrogen or Sustainable Aviation Fuel aircraft to achieve Net Zero Emissions.
- FLY SILENTLY
The integration of vertical rotors in the wings with a disruptive hull shape and powered by the hybrid-electric propulsion system brings a drastic improvement in the sound signature of Atea. This noise reduction opens up a whole new range of missions with flights closer to cities and in environments that were previously inaccessible due to noise constraints.
- FLY FURTHER
Atea was designed to offer a sustainable alternative to conventional aviation while maintaining the same level of performance as current aircraft. Thanks to its “lift and cruise” configuration with fixed wings, Atea can fly on regional or intercity routes.
- FLY SAFELY
The aircraft is designed to meet the same level of safety requirements as current conventional aviation while providing an additional level of safety by ensuring the ability to continue a flight and land safely in the event of a single failure. The hybrid propulsion system’s mix of two power sources also provides redundancy by design to further enhance the aircraft’s safety and operational range.
References:
