Aeroht, a Chinese company, has unveiled a groundbreaking innovation in the form of a video showcasing their system with multiple parachutes for EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft. This system is designed to transform a catastrophic malfunction of the engine into a relatively soft landing from a height of just 50 meters.
One of the major concerns surrounding EVTOL aircraft is the use of safety measures in the event of a disaster. Ballistic parachutes have been discussed as a potential solution, but there were doubts about their practicality at heights less than 100 meters, where there may not be enough time for the system to deploy.
Aeroht, however, has demonstrated the effectiveness of their security system with multiple parachutes on the prototype of the X2 multifunctional helicopter. The helicopter was launched from a height of only 50 meters, and the parachutes quickly grabbed air approximately one and a half seconds after the launch. Within another one and a half seconds, the parachutes were completely deployed, successfully slowing down the fall of the X2 to a speed of 5.2 m/s before it reached the ground.
Although landing at this speed may still be quite tough for passengers on board, it is a significant improvement compared to the potential outcome of a free fall from 50 meters. Typically, an object abandoned from that height would collide with the ground after 3.2 seconds at a speed of about 31.3 m/s. Therefore, despite the catastrophic malfunction and parachute landing, the reduced speed achieved by the Aeroht system is preferable.
In addition to the impressive parachute system, Aeroht also showcased other innovations during the Tech Day 2023 event hosted by their maternal company, Xpeng. They presented a six-wheeled “aircraft carrier” and the latest version of their flying supercar.