{"id":10794,"date":"2016-03-29T10:37:22","date_gmt":"2016-03-29T17:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=10794"},"modified":"2016-04-01T10:47:43","modified_gmt":"2016-04-01T17:47:43","slug":"10794-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/10794-2\/","title":{"rendered":"VC200, First Two-Seat Electric Helicopter Certified"},"content":{"rendered":"

With China certifying its RX1E two-seat electric trainer recently, Germany beats the rest of the world to electric rotary-wing certification with its provisional certificate for the VC200 Volocopter as an ultralight aircraft \u2013 certificate number VVZ, registration D-MYVC.\u00a0 This will allow the German Ultralight Flight Association (DULV) <\/a>to continue testing the vehicle, a program in place since 2013.\u00a0 Testing has been done on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure \u2013 a telling name for the organization since the German government feels a strong digital infrastructure is necessary to efficient operation of all transportation.<\/p>\n

\"VC200

VC200 had over 100 hours of pre-certification unpiloted testing. \u00a0Photo courtesy e-volo GmbH<\/p><\/div>\n

Further testing will lead to certification of the VC200 as an ultralight prototype and, following successful completion of testing, to series production.<\/p>\n

Volocopter\u2019s 18 lifting rotors, each powered by a small outrunner motor, require 45 kilowatts to hover, \u201cdepending on the air pressure \/ temperature,\u201d according to e-Volo GmbH.\u00a0 Multiply redundant systems ensure stability, \u201ceven if parts of the system were to fail,\u201d a principle employed \u201cin all system components that are necessary for safe flights.\u201d\u00a0 Since all propellers are fixed-pitch units, rotation speed of each motor produces whatever differential thrust occurs.<\/p>\n

Control comes from a single joystick, much like that used in computer games.\u00a0 Considering that future pilots will probably have a great deal of experience with such controls, this seems like a good approach to make flight controls almost intuitive.\u00a0 Whether people will flock to aerial commuters that allow personal control, or will choose automated flight as promised by a similar vehicle, the eHang 184, remains to be seen.\u00a0 Each will probably have its adherents: control freaks happy to guide their own aerial destinies and those who overcome their anxiety about being airborne also overcoming their anxiety about trusting an invisible pilot to get them safely to their destination.<\/p>\n

\"e-volo

e-volo flight test team: (left to right) Florian Reuter, Jorg Seewald (DULV), Stephan Wolf and Alexander Zosel<\/p><\/div>\n

Much of the testing on the VC200 was done with the craft unoccupied, over 100 flights made to have the aircraft certified for unmanned flights.\u00a0 \u201cWith professional remote control,\u201d the e-volo team was able \u201cto conduct stress tests on the entire system, its different modules, and the individual components.\u201d\u00a0 This included switching off motors, disconnecting some batteries or flight control electronics \u2013 even feeding wrong information to the system from \u201cdefective\u201d sensors.\u00a0 All the real and simulated issues were dealt with successfully.\u00a0 Other sources of mayhem, such as turbulent weather, did not seem to faze the machine.<\/p>\n

J\u00f6rg Seewald, the association\u2019s representative for the test program, along with e-volo\u2019s team, were \u201cextremely impressed\u201d by test outcomes.\u00a0 The VC200 was apparently able to compensate for the loss of rotors and was able to stabilize itself in turbulence without a pilot\u2019s intervention, good news for future white-knuckle or possible ham-handed fliers.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WFweyienhzw<\/p>\n

Several elements in the design of the aircraft help to alleviate squeezing the controls too much.\u00a0 E-volo explains the safety factors in the system. \u201cThe flight control system comprises\u2026 \u00a0several completely independent units. Each flight control unit contains a complete set of positioning sensors that consist of pressure gauges, gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers for all three spatial axes. Theoretically, each of the flight control units can control the VC200 independently. The Volocopter is operated with one hand using a joystick. The pilot intuitively controls all flight axes through rotational movements of the joystick\u2019s axis. Rising and falling commands are given through an altitude control thumb button. In order to land, the pilot only needs to press and hold the button down until the Volocopter is on the ground. Once it nears the ground, the control system automatically slows down the Volocopter to ensure a gentle landing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Single

Single control emulates video game controller in look and feel. \u00a0Photo courtesty e-volo GmbH<\/p><\/div>\n

Subsequent manned test flights were held in three phases, the first done at low altitudes and maximum flight speeds of 25 kilometers per hour (15.5 mph).\u00a0 The second phase emphasized flight maneuvers with flight speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph) \u201cat an average altitude.\u201d\u00a0 The third was designed to validate the system at higher altitudes with speed up to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph). \u00a0(See Update below.)<\/em><\/p>\n

As seen in the video above, e-volo plans on expanding their product line in manned and unmanned flight.<\/p>\n

Update:<\/strong> Kathrin Mohr of Volocopter notes that earlier translations of the German press release may have given the impression that piloted test flights had already taken place. \u00a0The corrected language follows:<\/p>\n

“The manned test flights are planned\u00a0in three phases. In the first phase, the test flights will be\u00a0at low altitudes and restricted to a maximum flight speed of 25\u00a0km\/h. In the second phase, the emphasis will be\u00a0on flight maneuvers with a flight speed of up to 50 km\/h at an average altitude. The third phase is aimed to validate the system at higher altitudes and in the full speed range of the VC200 (up to 100\u00a0km\/h).”<\/p>\n