Periodic Reporting for period 1 - eVTOLUTION (EVTOL MULTI-FIDELITY HYBRID DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION FOR LOW NOISE AND HIGH AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30
eVTOLUTION is a low-to-mid Technology Readiness Level (TRL) enabler project designed to develop the fundamental knowledge, data, tools, and methods necessary for understanding, modelling, and optimizing the aerodynamic performance and noise emissions of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. A key challenge lies in addressing the complex aerodynamic and acoustic interactions between the airframe and distributed electric propulsion systems—an area that remains insufficiently understood within current design frameworks.
The project's motivation stems from the growing demand for sustainable, safe, and publicly acceptable Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solutions. As the European Union pushes forward with its Green Deal objectives and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, eVTOLUTION contributes to enabling quieter, more efficient, and environmentally friendly air transport. A core goal is to ensure the technological feasibility of eVTOLs while integrating societal, regulatory, and environmental considerations from the earliest stages of design.
By establishing a multidisciplinary methodology that integrates aerodynamics, acoustics, energy systems, and safety, eVTOLUTION aims to overcome critical technical barriers that currently hinder the widespread deployment of eVTOL aircraft in Europe. The expected impacts are significant: not only will the project accelerate technological development and reduce time-to-market for future eVTOL solutions, but it will also lay the foundation for high safety and environmental standards tailored to urban aviation needs.
The project's motivation stems from the growing demand for sustainable, safe, and publicly acceptable Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solutions. As the European Union pushes forward with its Green Deal objectives and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, eVTOLUTION contributes to enabling quieter, more efficient, and environmentally friendly air transport. A core goal is to ensure the technological feasibility of eVTOLs while integrating societal, regulatory, and environmental considerations from the earliest stages of design.
By establishing a multidisciplinary methodology that integrates aerodynamics, acoustics, energy systems, and safety, eVTOLUTION aims to overcome critical technical barriers that currently hinder the widespread deployment of eVTOL aircraft in Europe. The expected impacts are significant: not only will the project accelerate technological development and reduce time-to-market for future eVTOL solutions, but it will also lay the foundation for high safety and environmental standards tailored to urban aviation needs.
During the past 18 months, eVTOLUTION has made tangible progress toward its scientific and technical objectives. Key activities and achievements include:
- Definition of reference missions and vehicle concepts, along with associated design constraints including safety, energy management, and thermal performance.
- Identification and analysis of noise regulations, leading to the definition of design targets that align with regulatory and societal expectations.
- Development and integration of simulation and design tools, including:
- Machine learning-based surrogate models for faster analysis,
- Multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) frameworks,
- Coupled aerodynamic and acoustic simulation capabilities.
- Initial development of flow and noise control technologies, such as innovative airframe shaping and active noise mitigation strategies.
These efforts provide a strong scientific foundation for integrated eVTOL design, combining previously siloed domains into a coherent, design-oriented approach.
- Definition of reference missions and vehicle concepts, along with associated design constraints including safety, energy management, and thermal performance.
- Identification and analysis of noise regulations, leading to the definition of design targets that align with regulatory and societal expectations.
- Development and integration of simulation and design tools, including:
- Machine learning-based surrogate models for faster analysis,
- Multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) frameworks,
- Coupled aerodynamic and acoustic simulation capabilities.
- Initial development of flow and noise control technologies, such as innovative airframe shaping and active noise mitigation strategies.
These efforts provide a strong scientific foundation for integrated eVTOL design, combining previously siloed domains into a coherent, design-oriented approach.
The project is already advancing the state of the art in several key areas:
- Integrated simulation environments that couple aerodynamic, acoustic, and energy models — enabling faster, more accurate early-stage design evaluations.
- Use of surrogate modelling and MDO tools, which significantly reduce the computational cost and time required for iterative design, supporting faster and more informed decision-making.
- Definition of early regulatory and certification frameworks within the design process — a novel approach that ensures technical solutions are viable within real-world operational and legal constraints.
- Integrated simulation environments that couple aerodynamic, acoustic, and energy models — enabling faster, more accurate early-stage design evaluations.
- Use of surrogate modelling and MDO tools, which significantly reduce the computational cost and time required for iterative design, supporting faster and more informed decision-making.
- Definition of early regulatory and certification frameworks within the design process — a novel approach that ensures technical solutions are viable within real-world operational and legal constraints.