London-based startup AltoVolo has officially unveiled its innovative Sigma aircraft, which has the ambitions to radically change the electric vertical take-off (eVTOL) aircraft market and replace traditional helicopters in a number of applications. The company emphasizes that Sigma is not just a technological achievement, but an economically proven strategy focused on rapid market entry and real profitability in the promising air mobility (AAM) industry, which is already attracting increasing attention from investors, regulators and technology companies around the world.
Sigma features a hybrid-electric system with jet engines that can change the angle of inclination to provide vertical take-off and landing. Thanks to this engineering solution, the noise level during operation is reduced by 80% compared to conventional helicopters, which opens the door for safe and comfortable use of Sigma even in densely populated urban areas. Another advantage is the increased flight range - the aircraft is capable of covering up to 821 kilometers at a constant cruising speed of 354 km/h, which is four times higher than similar indicators of market leaders such as Archer Aviation. This makes Sigma a serious competitor in the segment of not only urban, but also regional transport.
The developers paid special attention to safety: Sigma is able to continue flying even if one of the engines fails. A parachute system is also provided for emergency situations. At the same time, the device has extremely compact dimensions - the width is only 4.8 meters, and the weight is only 980 kg. This design makes it possible to land not only on standard helipads, but also on the roofs of buildings, private driveways and on the decks of yachts - that is, in places that were previously inaccessible to most air vehicles.
AltoVolo has attracted leading specialists to the project. One of the most authoritative experts in the field of aerodynamics, Dr. Richard Brown from Sophrodyne Aerospace, highly appreciated the technical parameters and engineering implementation of Sigma. Ansys. A leader in engineering modeling, known for its cooperation with Formula 1 teams, also participated in the development. The Sigma’s autonomous control system is supplied by Spanish company Embention, a regular partner of Amazon Prime Air. This gives reason to claim that the AltoVolo project has not only a visionary foundation, but also proven expert support at all stages of development.
Currently, engineers have completed the flight testing phase of the scale model and are preparing to create a full-scale demonstrator. As reported in the company's press release, the waiting list for the acquisition of Sigma is planned to open in early July, which shows AltoVolo's confidence in its readiness to move from the development stage to commercialization.
The company emphasizes that Sigma is not just another urban taxi drone, but a full-fledged “vertical hybrid jet aircraft“, capable of meeting the needs of a wide range of private and corporate users. Unlike most competitors that focus exclusively on short urban routes, Sigma offers a new quality of mobility focused on autonomy, flexibility and user independence.
Thus, given its technical innovations, support from industry experts and its ambitious business model, Sigma has every chance of becoming not only a breakthrough in the field of eVTOL, but also setting new standards for air mobility in the coming years.