A New Mission Some formerly rotor-only eVTOLs are transitioning to a new configuration – one with wings for greater range and speed. Vertical takeoffs and landings are OK for short-range Urban Air Mobility (UAM), but not necessarily good for longer range flight. Hovering flight requires thrust equal to the weight of the vehicle, and climbing requires additional thrust. Switching to wing-borne flight reduces the power necessary and increases flight duration. Some trends in housing and commutes indicate longer, regional flights may be necessary to fetch workers from ever more far-flung homes. Purely rotor-borne flight will still be viable for short trips with batteries, but wings add speed and endurance. VoloConnect Volocopter, having started with a simple multi-rotor prototype 10 years ago, now offers VoloCity, an 18-rotor eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) craft soon to start service in Singapore, Since the island nation is only 283 square miles, about 3.5 times the size of Washington, D. C, that makes …
