Moya Aero Achieves Milestone with Hybrid eVTOL Prototype Transition

3 months ago Editor

Brazilian startup Moya Aero has reached a significant milestone by successfully transitioning its subscale hybrid-electric eVTOL prototype from hover to forward flight. This achievement marks a crucial step towards full-scale production and eventual type certification.

Moya Aero, a Brazilian startup, has successfully achieved a crucial milestone in the development of its hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company completed the first transition of its subscale tiltbody prototype from thrust-borne hover to wing-borne cruise, marking a significant step forward in their journey towards full-scale production.

On August 22, near Moya Aero’s facility in Sao José Dos Campos, the 20%-scale prototype transitioned to horizontal flight on its tandem wings for the first time. Previously, the aircraft had only demonstrated its hovering capabilities. The successful flight validated the aircraft’s innovative design, where it vertically takes off and tilts 90 degrees to transition into forward flight. This unique configuration allows the aircraft to utilize the same fixed propellers for both lift and cruise, thereby enhancing efficiency by eliminating the need for separate lift motors and propellers.

According to Moya Aero’s co-founder and CEO, Alexandre Zaramela, the subscale test was crucial to prove that the aircraft’s control axes would remain stable during the transition from hover to forward flight. Zaramela expressed satisfaction with the flight’s performance, noting that the aircraft maintained a speed of 23 meters per second (approximately 85 kilometers per hour) and demonstrated stable and efficient behavior during the transition, just as it had in simulation tests.

Following this success, Moya Aero plans to carry out a transition with a larger 75%-scale prototype by October. This prototype, featuring a 5-meter wingspan and a 250-kilogram empty weight, has already completed nearly 90 test flights since its rollout in October 2023.

Looking ahead, Moya Aero aims to begin construction of its full-scale aircraft later this year, with the first flight anticipated before the end of 2025. The company is targeting type certification from Brazilian regulators by the end of 2026, with plans for entry-into-service in 2027.

While the company initially intended to produce a fully electric version of its eVTOL, Moya Aero has pivoted to a hybrid-electric variant, citing the current limitations of battery technology. The hybrid aircraft will feature a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine that powers the aircraft during cruise, while batteries will primarily be used for takeoffs and landings. Zaramela emphasized that although an all-electric version is still on the horizon, the hybrid variant offers a more practical solution for the aircraft’s intended applications in cargo and agriculture, given its extended range of up to 300 kilometers compared to 100 kilometers for the all-electric version.

To support the development and certification of the full-scale aircraft, Moya Aero plans to raise approximately $6 million in a Series A funding round. The company has already received 119 letters of intent from prospective operators, with agribusiness and cargo logistics making up the majority of interest.