The Urban Air Mobility market is constantly evolving, and Electrical Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft, commonly referred to as eVTOL aircraft, are currently making great strides in creating new ways to improve air transport systems. This specific type of aircraft is being developed with the goal in mind to reduce traffic congestion on the ground and make airborne short-hop services more achievable and affordable while only using green electric power. Suited especially for air taxis, cargo delivery, and emergency response vehicles, eVTOLs are designed to allow quick access to areas in a cost-effective manner. Powered by battery driven rotor blades with the ability to take-off and land vertically, these aircraft are designed to carry generally between 2 and 6 passengers, fly quick short routes, and potentially operate autonomously.
While the innovative development is certainly exciting, new technologies can pose new risks. There are several dangers inherent in the design of eVTOL aircraft. To name a few concerns, the vehicles would be flown at low altitudes with higher chance of bird strikes, and a large number of take-offs and landings during each shift could add stress for pilots and their aircraft systems. The reliance on electrical power from Lithium ion batteries increases the risk of fire, in which case the aircraft must land immediately. One of the most concerning issues is what safety measures should be available in the event of an eVTOL experiencing any of these problems and having to carry out an emergency landing. This is where AVCP comes in, a company dedicated to VTOL aircraft safety by developing Active Crash Prevention systems. Directed by Roger Sloman, who also is the Managing Director of the Advanced Blast & Ballistic Systems, or ABBS Group, Active VTOL Crash Prevention Ltd. pursues a mission to make all crashes survivable.
A History of Designing Safety Innovations
In addition to his roles with AVCP and ABBS, Roger Sloman is the Owner of Sloman & Associates, and CEO of Active Safety System Technologies Inc. in the USA. In 1975, Sloman founded the Advanced Composites Group by introducing carbon fiber into F1 motor racing. By 1981 the rapid adoption of the use of carbon fiber for the full monocoque F1 chassis proved to be a big step forward in safety for the drivers. As an inventor and serial entrepreneur, he developed the business into a global operation based on novel prepreg materials for the tooling, aerospace, and motor racing markets. The company success resulted in him receiving over £8m from the £44.6m sale of the Advanced Composites Group in 2004. Nearly a decade later, a chance involvement as Technical Consultant in a local company which claimed to have a blast protection system for armored vehicles led to the independent development of a powerful, fast-acting rocket motor system to counteract the forces lifting a vehicle when it is hit by a buried mine or IED.
He saw that the same technology using rocket motors could save lives in helicopters, eVTOLs, and Light Aircraft and since then, Sloman has been in the business of bringing novel safety innovations to the aircraft industry as well as to armored vehicles.
One example of the innovative solutions Sloman has designed is AVCP’s GLIDE (Ground Landing Identification and Descent) system, a complete autonomous emergency safety system for light aircraft and eVTOLs. AVCP proposes that when an aircraft experiences a critical situation, such as a major bird strike, the vehicle’s first response would be taking an initial assessment of the damage, the remaining control function, and the descent rate. From there, the aircraft would launch a steerable parachute if necessary and plot a path to the safest landing option, identified by a Look-Down Video AI System (LD-VAS). By leading projects such as the development of GLIDE, Sloman is playing a large role in finding innovative ways to provide necessary safety measures and systems for this completely new breed of aircraft, as well as conventional Light Aircraft and helicopters.
Speed Means Danger – (But It Also Means Safety)
One of AVCP’s biggest interests when it comes to eVTOL safety is designing a method to increase the speed at which parachutes deploy and become effective. Currently, ballistic recovery parachutes open slowly, reducing the loads on the parachute and airframe to avoid over-stressing either the parachute or the aircraft. As a result, it takes about five seconds, in which the aircraft falls for at least 450 feet, sometimes 850 feet before the parachute is fully developed and effective. However, with eVTOL aircraft flying at around 500 feet or lower from the ground, such a normal parachute system would not offer protection in most emergencies.
AVCP’s solution is to utilize a rapid opening parachute system when required. Opening the parachute with an active system can ensure it will open rapidly when required to reduce the Safety Gap, and the addition of a retrorocket can also be used to reduce it even further. The thrust level and burn duration of the parachute launch motor can be increased to reduce the aircraft’s initial descent rate and loss of altitude while the parachute opens. But the thrust from a retrorocket system can also be used to control the landing, reducing substantial deformation and damage to the airframe while protecting the occupants from serious injuries. In full form, this US-patented system would allow low flying aircraft to survive an emergency situation and be lowered to the ground as gently as possible.
Moving Forward with Technology
It is clear that the development of eVTOL aircraft has the potential to revolutionize urban air travel, but it also presents new challenges and risks that need to be addressed. The work of Roger Sloman and the AVCP in developing safety systems for eVTOLs is an important step in mitigating these risks and ensuring that these aircraft can be used safely and effectively.
It is also important to note that Sloman and AVCP are not working to hinder innovation or progress in the development of eVTOLs, or any technology for that matter. Rather, they are working to ensure these aircraft can be developed and used safely, which is essential for the long-term success and viability of this technology. By partnering with companies developing next generation eVTOLs and light aircraft, Sloman and AVCP can help to ensure that innovation and safety go hand in hand.
For more information about the research done by AVCP and ABBS, or to get involved with their mission to help push the next wave of flight and safety innovation, visit their website at https://www.advanced-blast.com/. To follow Roger Sloman and his work, see his LinkedIn page, at Roger Sloman | LinkedIn.
