Composite structures for eVTOL and advanced air mobility

The eVTOL structures is an aerostructure from FACC with aerospace-grade and in-production specifications. FACC eVTOL structures are composite airframe parts and assemblies supplied by FACC for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft and for cargo and passenger drones. The Austrian aerospace supplier offers aerostructures for advanced air mobility platforms, covering wing and fuselage parts, horizontal stabilizers and elevators, together with bonding, development and series production services.

FACC builds these parts in fibre-reinforced composite materials, the standard choice when low mass drives range on a battery-powered aircraft. Its pitch to eVTOL makers is that a lighter airframe lets the aircraft carry more payload or fly farther on the same energy, and the company offers composite materials that are already qualified in aviation to support certification work.

The portfolio is described by component. Wing and fuselage composite parts form the primary structure: in lift-plus-cruise and tiltrotor layouts the wing carries most of the lift in cruise, so the rotors are relieved and battery energy is saved. Elevators and horizontal stabilizers provide pitch control and stability in forward flight, and the vertical stabilizer with rudder provides yaw stability. Structural interior parts, such as lightweight composite panels for the cabin, are offered for passenger aircraft.

Manufacturing is based on composite component production and secondary bonding. Secondary bonding joins finished composite parts, and FACC presents it as a means of meeting structural integrity and aerodynamic accuracy requirements at low weight. Integration on the customer side therefore means supplying interface geometry, load cases and material requirements to FACC, which then handles manufacture and assembly of the structure.

Development support runs from concept studies through industrialisation to series production and maintenance of lightweight structures. For cargo drone makers, FACC offers to take part from the first idea and concept phase, and its stated aim is to link development and production closely to shorten the time to market. Certification support is mentioned in general terms: no specific standard or approval number is attached to this product group.

Typical customers are makers of passenger eVTOL aircraft, air taxis, regional air mobility aircraft and large logistics drones that need certified lightweight wings, tail surfaces and fuselage sections in series volumes.