The Sirius Aviation Business Jet will be the world’s first hydrogen-powered VTOL aircraft
If all things go well, the Sirius Aviation Business Jet will be the world’s very first VTOL to fly that uses a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. The Swiss startup in aviation showed two zero-emission aircrafts that it says will be operational by 2025.
It’s been reported that the Sirius aircraft will be the first hybrid VTOL to run on hydrogen instead of either jet fuel or a battery. Compared to normal jet fuel, hydrogen has three times the energy per unit of mass, while lithium-ion batteries have more than a hundred times that energy. It is important to note that while a number of businesses have begun testing hydrogen aboard aircraft, none have obtained certification or approval for the fuel’s usage in commercial aviation.
With room for three people, the Sirius Aviation Business Jet is designed for private pilots. The aircraft will be able to travel at up to 323 mph and 30,000 feet for up to 1,150 miles. Furthermore, it claims to have extremely low noise levels at just 60 dB.
In terms of flying distance and speed, the Sirius jets have the potential to establish new industry standards. For comparison, the Joby S4, the fastest known eVTOL currently under construction, has a range of 150 miles and a peak speed of 205 mph. As for VTOLs, Horizon Aircraft’s hybrid Cavorite X5 is expected to have a max speed of 280 mph and a range of roughly 500 miles.
Details of the design of the Sirius fleet have not yet been fully disclosed. According to the company, the Sirius Aviation Business Jet will combine the flexibility of a plane or helicopter with the aerodynamics of a jet. The startup has also shared that the jets will use a deflected vectored thrust system comprising 20 electric ducted fans to take off vertically.
Sirius plans to reveal the hydrogen-electric propulsion system on January 17 at the Payerne Airport in Switzerland.
