Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel has announced that its Nuuva V300 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft went aloft in its first successful test flight last week.
The flight took place on January 31 in Ajdovščina, Slovenia, a town in the Vipava Valley where the company’s headquarters is located.
“This milestone marks an advancement in the development of advanced, sustainable and versatile unmanned aerial systems,” Pipistrel said.
The Pipistrel V300 is equipped with an electric vertical take-off powertrain and a separate dedicated cruise propulsion system, according to published specifications. It is designed to carry a 600 lb payload over a range of up to 300 nautical miles and is capable of operating from paved or unimproved surfaces.
Somewhat aping the design of the original 1970s Boeing 747 freighter, the nose door of the V300 is designed to allow pallets of cargo to be loaded. Specifically, the V300 can support a capacity of more than 100 cubic feet, and it can hold up to three cargo pallets or be loaded with loose cargo, thereby allowing for multiple payload configurations.
“The Nuuva V300’s capabilities and robust design will not only transform logistics but also play a crucial role in commercial and defense missions such as search and rescue, humanitarian aid, disaster relief and ship-to-shore deliveries,” said Kriya Shortt, President and CEO of Textron eAviation, which owns Pipistrel.
The aircraft, which is equipped with automatic Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight capabilities, was remotely monitored by an operator at the ground control station for its initial flight, developed in cooperation with Textron Systems, thereby enabling fully automatic point-and-click operations.
The V300, the company said, is powered by a fly-by-wire, triple-redundant flight control system supplied by Honeywell, and will transition from vertical to forward flight on its wings and follow the most recent flight plan until landing. A second Nuuva V300 will also join the flight program in 2025.
Source: Pipistrel
