“Quiet” Thrusters For ‘Flying Cars’ Comes Out Of Stealth Development

Coming out of stealth development is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft by Applied eVTOL Concepts. The new eVTOL has thruster technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration via a multi-million dollar grant from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. 

Applied eVTOL Concepts revealed the “Epiphany Transporter” last week, described as a “new mode of personal mobility.”

The company released specs on the new aircraft, indicating it’s capable of 160 mph with a 300-plus mile range but generates less than 55 decibels of noise at 50 feet.

For some context, a normal conversation with background music is around 50 decibels. 

“The Epiphany Transporter can accommodate two people, their luggage, plus golf clubs! Intended to be simple and safe to operate, and about the size of a Tesla Model ‘S’ automobile, it fits into a standard one-car garage with its thrusters folded up, Applied eVTOL Concepts said. 

The company said the thruster technology has been in development for a quarter-century:

Originally developed under a $5.1 million DARPA grant, the NASA-proven ducted thrusters have undergone over a quarter-century of refinement through full-scale flight testing in wind tunnels and several prototype manned vehicles.

The news of the “exceptionally quiet” and “neighbor-friendly” eVTOL comes as the Federal Aviation Administration has published the Advanced Air Mobility Implementation Plan to ensure safe skies for flying taxis operations by 2028. 

Last month, the FAA granted SpaceX-backed mobility firm Alef Aeronautics a Special Airworthiness Certification that will allow “limited” flight operations. 

We suspect those who want to be in command of an eVTOL will likely need to obtain a private pilot’s license and get rated for the aircraft to operate in controlled airspace.