DaVinci H2

grabcad

After two weeks of planning, calculating and modeling, I present to you the DaVinci H2 : my hydrogen solution to the EVTOL/UAM race. Although battery tech is improving, it can only take us so far in aviation. Energy densities of lithium ion batteries have only increased twofold over the last 10 years, and battery lifespans suffer due to the energy-intensive vertical take-off/landing that current Urban Air Mobility solutions employ. Hydrogen, despite its current drawbacks (scarcity + high cost + relative lack of infrastructure) has several powerful advantages : high energy density, quick refueling, and ease of component replacement (it is much easier to replace a hydrogen tank/fuel cell than an EV battery, which is often a significant fraction of total vehicle mass). As such, I believe the UAM market will soon be dominated by hydrogen fuel cell aerial vehicles.About the DaVinci H2The DaVinci H2 is a harbinger for a hydrogen change; it combines the most optimal design elements of current EVTOL design proposals with the advantages of hydrogen. A tiltwing layout means that, unlike a tiltrotor aircraft, the wings begin to generate lift much sooner, which allows for a smoother and less power-intensive take off and landing. The lack of complex tiltrotor mechanisms ensures mechanical simplicity, leading to easier integration of system redundancy and less engineering and manufacturing challenges. The DaVinci H2 also uses distributed electric propulsion - a 48kWh floor-mounted battery can independently power the vehicle, or assist with power requirements during vertical ascent and descent, reducing the loads on both the battery and hydrogen fuel cell and increasing their service life. Although independently rechargeable via external outlet, the battery can also be recharged during flight with surplus fuel cell voltage. The current paradigm of UAM vehicles involves ground-based hubs, called vertiports. Adopting hydrogen for UAM means these vertiports themselves can serve as hydrogen refueling centers, not just for aircraft, but for road vehicles as well. With this, the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion to the UAM market will hopefully spearhead the mainstream adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology, opening up a greener, more sustainable future.Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Power/Energy DensitiesTo derive a realistic prediction of a hydrogen fuel cell VTOL aircraft, I used the following publicly-available data. Note that, unlike a lot of pro...