The industry of eVTOL is filled with new actors and promises every day, but that of High flight sounds particularly bold. The London startup presented his Sigma, an electric vertical take-off aircraft that promises mind-blowing performance: 1.600 horsepower, three seats, 800 kilometers of range and a cruising speed of 350 km/h. Numbers that would make the competition pale, if it weren't for the fact that at the moment they only exist in the form of 3D renderings.
In the industry we have learned at our expense that between saying and flying there is… well, physics, certifications and a mountain of funding. But if Altovolo kept even half of its promises, we could be facing a real turning point.
Altovolo, data that defies gravity (and credulity)
When I read the specs of the Sigma, I can't help but raise an eyebrow. Not only does it promise a range of 800 kilometers, almost five times that of theArcher aviation Midnight (the “best there is” at the moment), but it does so while maintaining a very high cruising speed. Higher than all of them.
Yes, because even the comparison with other competitors on this parameter is merciless. Even the hydrogen demonstrator of Joby, which completed an 842-kilometer flight last year, reaches “just” 320 km/h. And all this while the Sigma produces 80% less noise than a traditional helicopter. If the promises were kept, we would be talking about an aircraft capable of completely redefining the concept of personal air mobility.
The “secret sauce” of this aircraft? A combination of technologies: Patented tilt-rotor electric jet design, integrated aerodynamics, hybrid system that uses batteries for vertical takeoff and liquid fuel for long-range flight. It almost sounds too good to be true. Or does it?
Size matters (especially in flight)
Equally surprising are the dimensional specifications. With a width of just 4,8 meters, the Sigma is expected to comfortably seat three people, offering an unprecedented personal flying experience.
The total weight, including passengers? Just 980 kilograms. Numbers that make your eyes pop out, especially considering that we are talking about an aircraft equipped with a 1.600 horsepower propulsion system, capable of functioning even in the event of a failure of one of the jets.
Again, I reiterate: if these numbers were real, the power density of the Sigma would be simply extraordinary. But here’s the rub: translating these specifications from paper to air is anything but simple.
From paper to sky, a complicated flight
Altovolo says it has completed prototype flight tests and is ready to build a full-scale demonstrator. It will open a waiting list for pre-orders of its “vertical hybrid jet” in July.
I would like to be optimistic, but experience teaches caution. I didn't find much information about the founder Will Wood, and we know how crucial it is to have a team with consolidated experience in this sector. Even though the company claims to to have validated the design by an experienced aerospace engineer and integrating autonomous flight technologies from the veteran Embed, I keep my feet on the ground.
The road from 3D rendering to real takeoff is long and bumpy, strewn with regulatory and technological obstacles. Let's see if Altovolo does it all, and does it well. Only then will we be able to truly see a silent and powerful alternative to private helicopters in our urban skies. For now, just the promise of "flying high". Let's wait for the aircraft to do the same.
