Volta

The first all-electric conventional helicopter

SERVICES

VOLTA

ALL-ELECTRIC

CONVENTIONAL

No atmospheric pollution, no motor noise.

Unexpensive energy and maintenance.

Single Main Rotor with Variable Pitch.

Safe and Efficient.

HELICOPTER

Vertical and Stationary Awesomeness.

SPECIFICATIONS

weight:

max take-off weight:

blade span:

dimensions:

peak power:

continuous power:

battery energy:

battery autonomy:

longest flight time:

420kg (incl. 165kg of batteries)

520kg

h:2.35m w:1.7m l:7.5m

90kW (122 HP)

70kW (95 HP)

22kWh

15mn04 - 14mn30

15mn04 - 9mn04 - 6mn - 2m55 - 5s

VISION

A cleaner, safer and less expensive vertical flight.

Current helicopters use a fuel-based power-chain which pollutes the atmosphere and is noisy. Helicopter pilots also face a high cost-per-hour of flight, as fuel-based power-chains needs extensive and expensive maintenance.

We are building an all-electric helicopter. The atmospheric pollution is reduced to zero locally. The noise is reduced since there is no internal combustion anymore. And the maintenance cost is highly reduced, as the power chain is much simpler.

Volta is a conventional helicopter, with a main rotor and a variable blade pitch. Compared to drone-like helicopters with a variable spinning speed, Volta is more efficient, has auto-rotation capability, and is compatible with current airworthiness regulation. Volta builds upon decades of experience and experiments on vertical flight.

Volta is single seat, with an expected autonomy of 15min. We envision designing a two-seat versions for flight instruction. This mission would suit the planed 40min autonomy.

PROJETS

HISTOIRE

HISTORY

Volta is the result of a long journey.

Volta is based on Microcopter MC1, a one-of-its-kind model entirely designed from the ground-up in 2004. MC1 was motorized with a piston engine that was never successfully regulated.

The rise of efficient lithium-based batteries led Philippe Antoine, the Principal Investigator, to transform MC1 into Volta by replacing the fuel-based power chain with an all-electric one. The encounter with ENAC HCI researchers during the 2015 helicopter day at ENAC led them to develop the avionics and test-bed their djnn technology, while pursuing their involvement in electric aviation.

First official stationary flight: Feb. 17, 2016.

First official >3mn flight: Sep. 17, 2016.

Inaugural flight: 0ct. 18, 2016.

A privately-funded venture, started by individuals with the support of enthousiastic private companies and public institutions, now principally investigated by Aquinea and ENAC, Volta gathers people passionate with vertical and stationary flight.