Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) MOBi-One V1 (concept design)

MOBi-One V1 (concept design)
Airspace Experience Technologies, LLC (ASX)
Detroit, Michigan, USA
www.iflyasx.com

Founded in Detroit, Michigan (USA) in 2017, by Anita Sengupta, Jon Rimanelli, JP Yorro and RJ King, , Airspace Experience Technologies an aerospace startup and is in the business of making affordable hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and/or electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for advance air mobility (AAM) and other multiple uses. Airspace Experience Technologies started a funding rounds under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's CF and D regulations in partnership with SeedInvest to raise $8 million to support development work. The company also launched a Series A funding round in March 2020 and welcomes new investors to join their urban air mobility opportunity.

The MOBi-One V1 a tilt-wing eVTOL passenger concept design modular payload aircraft has been designed for autonomous flight with the option of a pilot assisting during flight. The cruise speed is 149 mph (240 km/h) with a range of 64 m (103 km). Its interior modular design allows five passengers or cargo with a maximum payload of 440 lb (200 kg). A turbo-prop version, if made, would extend the range of the aircraft to 258 m (416 km).

The aircraft has six propellers on its tilt-wing, for VTOL and forward flight. The tilt-wing has a propeller attached on each end on the front of the wing. There are two more propellers, on each wing, attached close to the middle of the wing, and the struts for theses propellers are slightly inset into the wing and these propellers are stacked vertically under and over the wing. The rear of the fuselage has an open hole and a VTOL propeller is attached to the inside of the port side of the fuselage. (See pictures the pictures below.)

In December 2018, the company reported it has flown five sub-scale prototype vehicles, including one-third and one-fifth scale prototypes and work on a full-sized prototype is on-going. Airspace Experience Technologies has said it will have a full-scale working prototype by March 2022 for demonstration flights.

Airspace Experience Technologies foresees the aircraft as an air taxi, personal, corporate and government passenger transportation, emergency medical services (EMS), police use and military tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). A pod shaped ground car for ground transportation has also been proposed.

A new version, the MOBi-One V3, was announced on Jan. 15, 2018 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan (USA). On Jan. 27, 2021, the Sigma Six was announced at Vertical Flight Society’s 8th annual Electric VTOL Symposium on with a graphic presentation which included some specifications.

The company plans to deliver up to 2,500 aircraft in the United States' 50 largest cities by 2025-26. It will start with the cargo version in 2023, begin passenger service in 2024 and offer pilot-optional autonomy by 2030. Airspace Experience Technologies has estimated the cost of materials for each aircraft will be less than $500,000.00 USD, calculating a possible sales price for their aircraft in the range $1 million USD. The company has also estimated the cost for an air taxi one-way ticket to be about the same as an Uber Black ride (An Uber premium service which is roughly $8-12 per mile, in 2020 US dollars).

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL or eVTOL tilt-wing passenger or cargo concept design aircraft
• Piloting: Autonomous or pilot assisted
• Capacity: 2 to 4 passengers
• Technology: Broadband internet, V2X collision avoidance and safety messaging
• Cruise speed: 149 mph (240 km/h)
• Range: 64 m (103 km)
• Propellers: 7 (each propeller with 3 blades)
• Electric Motors: At least 7 for the propellers, there are more for the tilt wing
• Power source: Hybrid-electric or batteries
• Maximum payload: 440 lb (200 kg) or more
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Length: 30 ft (9 m)
• Height: 10 ft (3 m)
• Width: 40 ft (12 m)
• Windows: Panoramic windows with wrap around window design allowing forward, left, right and top visibility, for spectacular views
• Wings: One high tilt-wing
• Tail: T-tail
• Landing gear: Tricycle wheeled fixed landing gear
• Safety Features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. The electric propellers are disabled, the aircraft can land like a plane on a runway or road.

Related Aircraft:

• Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) MOBi-One V2 (concept design)
• Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) MOBi-One V3 (concept design)
• Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) Sigma-6 Cargo Drone (concept design)
• Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) Sigma-6 (prototype)

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook
• Crunchbase
• MarketWatch
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Airspace Experience Technologies website
• Airspace Experience Technologies Twitter
• Airspace Experience Technologies Instagram
• Airspace Experience Technologies LinkedIn
• Article: AirSpaceX Reveals Electric VTOL Aircraft at North American International Auto Show in Detroit, PR Newswire, Jan. 15, 2018
• Article: AirSpaceX's autonomous, electric air taxi lands in Detroit, New Atlas, Jan. 15, 2018
• Article: Detroit’s ASX Reveals Electric VTOL Aircraft at 2018 North American International Auto Show. dbusiness, Feb. 12, 2018.
• Article: Verdego Aero to supply ASX, Prolog, Jan. 15, 2019
• Article: MOBi-One, Future Flight, Feb. 2020
• Article: ASX teams up with Spirit AeroSystems for affordable eVTOL UAM, Electrek, Feb. 25, 2020
• Article: ASX and Spirit AeroSystems Developing Affordable eVTOL Aircraft for the Mass Traveling Public, PR Newswire, Feb. 17, 2020
• Article: This New Electric Aircraft Uses ’60s-Era Tech to Take Off Like a Helicopter and Fly Like a Plane, Robb Report, May 28, 2020