Prosperity 1 eVTOL at Paris Air Show

The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Prosperity 1 is at the Le Bourget Paris Air Show from June 19-26.

It’s among a variety of low- to zero-emission aircraft there, including regional aircraft manufacturer ATR which aims to have the most advanced and low emission regional aircraft, also explaining its EVO mild hybridisation concept.

The Prosperity 1 eVTOL is from future mobility design house Frank Stephenson Design and global eVTOL pioneers AutoFlight.

The aircraft’s interior design was revealed last week, and the full-scale aircraft will be on display all week.

Prosperity I claimed a world record for the longest flight by an eVTOL aircraft on a single electric charge in February 2023 (250km).

“By blending art with science, whilst using the latest eco-friendly technology to shape the future of design mobility, our studio aspires to create great products and vehicles that will shape the future of mobility,” says Frank Stephenson.

“During the AutoFlight project, weight and safety were our utmost priorities; these dictate all of the work we do in this industry and weight must be kept to a minimum to maximise efficiency.

“We have multiple failure modes to ensure that the vehicle adheres to the highest standards of safety.”

The eVTOL’s advanced engineering paves the way for an era of sustainable mass aerial mobility, while its refined design makes it highly desirable for future passengers and customers. 

 “When it comes to the capsule’s aesthetics, the wings and propeller layout dictate the overall appearance of the aircraft and the interior concept is extremely unique – it’s a new type of space, and a very interesting package to execute,” says Stephenson.

“Cross-sectional areas should be minimised to reduce drag and at the same time the cabin must be comfortable and spacious enough for the passengers.”

Stephenson says it’s “incredibly exciting to look ahead to the next few years when we will begin to see these vehicles in the skies”.

AutoFlight is a global high-tech start-up dedicated to developing and manufacturing electric aerial vehicles to provide safe and reliable logistics systems and urban air mobility solutions for people.

The global company uses its experience with artificial intelligence, 5G, breakthrough materials, and advanced manufacturing in the drone market to drive developments in the eVTOL industry.

It focuses on large-scale logistics aircraft and passenger aerial vehicles.