Conceptual Design of an eVTOL Air Shuttle for Rapid Intercity Transport

Abstract

This paper proposes an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for transportation between cities separated by a short distance (<200 miles). The aircraft will carry 10 passengers and is meant to replace shuttle buses as a faster and more direct form of transportation. An iterative optimization method of developing aero-propulsive parameters for the air shuttle is proposed and demonstrated. Results of the optimization are analyzed to determine developments in enabling technology that are necessary for increasing the feasibility of this new form of transportation.