Shandong Good Achievements | 'Yunfan' Spreads Wings! The first tonnage fully tilting eVTOL in China successfully flew in Shandong

Ding Zhichao, Technical Director of Azure Spacecraft Co., Ltd., introduced that "Yunfan-2" is an eVTOL with a fully tilt rotor configuration. This configuration is recognized as the most technically difficult in the eVTOL field, but it is also the most promising for application. It can rise from the ground in helicopter posture and switch to fixed wing mode for high-speed cruising in a blink of an eye, achieving seamless switching between hovering and galloping states.

The core key technology of "Yunfan-2" is full tilt rotor technology. Through this breakthrough, the aircraft can transition from vertical takeoff and landing to high-speed level flight, and achieve high speed, high altitude, and high efficiency during level flight. At present, such technology is at the forefront domestically and also in a leading position internationally.

Compared to other aircraft with multi rotor and composite wing configurations, the advantage of "Yunfan-2" lies in its high load efficiency and flight efficiency. This is mainly due to its fixed wing mode during level flight, which uses the lift generated by the airflow passing through the wings instead of the rotor's pulling force to overcome gravity. At the same time, it has a clean appearance and no additional drag generated by the stationary rotor, resulting in a high lift to drag ratio and high energy utilization efficiency.

The 'Yunfan-2' has made significant breakthroughs in a series of specialties such as overall aircraft design, aerodynamic design, power design, flight control design, and structural design, "said Ding Zhichao. The breakthrough in this core technology has also made the "Yunfan-2" the first large electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in China and the second in the world to achieve full tilt and full process flight, with performance advantages such as fast speed, long endurance and range, heavy load, and strong adaptability to complex environments.

Behind the elegant transformation of the "Yunfan-2" is a three-year technological battle.

The fully tiltrotor technology is the most difficult among all types of eVTOLs, and tiltrotor aircraft have always been a highly respected solution in the aviation industry. We are determined to make the 'Yunfan-2' a success and are confident in doing it well. ”Ding Zhichao said that the team has developed an indicator system for the load-bearing capacity, range, speed, and even maximum size of the "Yunfan-2" based on sufficient market demand research, and has put forward high requirements. During the research and development process, they fully demonstrated and positively designed, "not rushed or impatient", and pursued the shortest development time throughout the entire cycle rather than the shortest stage cycle.

The success of "Yunfan-2" has given the team great confidence and encouragement. In the future, "Yunfan-2" and its successors will accelerate the process towards commercial applications. In terms of payload scenarios, we will submit an airworthiness certification application in the fourth quarter of this year to obtain the airworthiness certificate for unmanned cargo vehicles as soon as possible. The development of aircraft for manned scenarios is also underway, "said Ding Zhichao. These development works have strong technological inheritance with the current" Yunfan-2 "01 prototype.

From the concept on the blueprint to the reality of cutting through the sky, the tilting rotor of the "Yunfan-2" not only switches flight modes, but also switches a new track for industrial development. With the deepening and expansion of multi scenario applications, this Shandong made "airborne versatile" aircraft is adding a crucial step to the rapid development of Shandong's low altitude economy.