Seahorse Air SH5-3E (concept design)

(Image credit: SeaHorse Air Limited)

SeaHorse H5 (concept design)
SeaHorse Air Limited
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
www.seahorseair.com

SeaHorse Air Limited was incorporated on March 7, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. SeaHorse Air is a joint venture between FlowCopter in Edinburgh and Evdron in Singapore. The company is in the business of designing and developing a low flying amphibious five place vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that will be almost exclusively flown between coastal towns and islands. The company states the aircraft will typically only fly over water. The goal of their aircraft is to provide ferry service that is faster than the traditional ferry boat and that has luxury class pricing. (Image credit: SeaHorse Air Limited)

The company revealed their subscale mock-up to the public at Amsterdam Drone Week 2024 that took places April 16-18 in the Netherlands. The first aircraft model will use what the company calls "digital displacement hydraulic transmission technology" patented by FlowCopter. This technology is powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) that can be fueled by ethanol. In the future, the aircraft will be able easily be retrofitted to use electric motors and use a variety of power sources, such as hydrogen fuel cells or battery packs. At this point, the aircraft will then become a hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM).

SH5-3E passenger hybrid-power VTOL triphibian concept design aircraft
The SH5-3E is a hybrid-powered passenger VTOL triphibian concept design aircraft that can takeoff and land on the ground and from the water. The VTOL aircraft is flown by one pilot and carries four passengers and their luggage. The cabin is spacious and includes a small galley and lavatory. The passengers enter and exit from the rear of the aircraft.

The estimated cruise speed 150 km/h (93 mph), has a forecasted range 450 kilometers (218 miles) and has projected flight time of 3 hours. The cruise altitude over water is calculated to be 15 meters (50 feet). The aircraft has 12 propellers, 12 hydraulic motors and uses a hybrid power source using an internal combustion engine that uses ethanol and is housed in the pontoons. The ethanol fuel achieves net zero emissions. The aircraft has been designed to accept battery packs in the future, when battery density increases enough to allow long range travel.

The concept design aircraft has large panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite material for a high strength to low weight ratio. The expected empty weight of the aircraft is 1,300 kg (2,866 lb), has an anticipated maximum payload weight of 650 kg (1,433 lb) and has a planned maximum takeoff weight of 1,950 kg (4,200 lb). The aircraft can land on the ground or in water. The aircraft has fixed tricycle powered wheels for maneuvering on the ground and has thrusters in its pontoons for moving on water.

The safety features of the aircraft include distributed electric propulsion (DEP) which means that the aircraft uses multiple propellers, each powered by its own power source, to increase safety through redundancy. If one or more components fail, the remaining ones can still ensure a safe landing. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on the aircraft decreases having any single point of failure. Due to the nature of the designed low altitude flight of the aircraft, and if there is an emergency, the aircraft can land in eight seconds. The aircraft can survive a 15 meter (50 foot) free fall over water. The concept design VTOL has emergency airbags that completely cocoon each occupant.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid passenger VTOL triphibian aircraft (concept design)
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 4 passengers and their luggage. Includes galley and lavatory.
• Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
• Range: 450 km (218 m)
• Flight time: 3 hours
• Cruise altitude (over water): 15 m (50 ft)
• Empty weight: 1,300 kg (2,866 lb)
• Maximum payload weight: 650 kg (1,433 lb)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 1,950 kg (4,200 lb)
• Propellers: 12 propellers on tilting boom assembly
• Electric motors: 12 hydraulic motors
• Power source: Hybrid power source using ethanol housed in the pontoons achieving net zero emissions. Will accept battery packs in the future when battery density increases enough to allow long range travel.
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite, includes lavatory
• Windows: Panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
• Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear and has 4 pontoons. The aircraft can land or takeoff from the ground or on the water. Wheels are powered for short ground travel. Pontoons have thrusters for moving on water.
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) uses multiple propellers or electric ducted fans, each powered by electric motors, to increase safety through redundancy. If one or more components fail, the remaining ones can still ensure a safe landing. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure. Due to low altitude flight, in an emergency, can land in eight seconds. Has emergency airbags that completely cocoon each occupant. The aircraft can survive a 15 meter (50 foot) free fall over water.

Related Aircraft:

• Flowcopter FC100 (production model)
• Seahorse Air H5 (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Endole
• Government of the United Kingdom

Resources:

• SeaHorse Air Limited website
• FlowCopter website
• Evdron website
• Article: ADW2024: prototype Sea Horse Air five-person eVTOL "to fly later this year", Urban Air Mobility, Apr. 16, 2024