Airspace Experience Technologies has unveiled a full-scale prototype of the modular eVTOL aircraft platform Sigma-6, an innovative fuselage with interchangeable cargo and passenger compartments and a functional skateboard robot to load and unload them.

Pass-through electric take-off and landing aircraft designs have been ubiquitous over the past few years, but most are either simple lift-and-go designs with separate horizontal and vertical propulsion systems, or vectorial propulsion designs that tilt the propulsion systems independently of the wings.

Swept-wing designs have become much less common, possibly due to concerns that the vertically oriented wings would trap too much wind if hovering, forcing the aircraft to work harder to stay level and maintain attitude.

ASX based the Sigma 6 on a curved wing concept. The entire 11.6m curved wing and V-tail assembly with six large diameter propellers and the rear landing gear assembly are designed to be separated from the passenger and cargo compartments.

In the context of the growing eVTOL market, the modules are quite large. The cargo compartments will carry an impressive 907 kg load, the passenger compartments will accommodate six to eight people, and the top speed will be 400 km/h.

When the Sigma 6 lands, the pods will separate from the airframe and spin on a small, self-contained electric skateboard chassis with all-wheel drive and multi-directional wheels. The same skateboarding robots can lift and move the entire plane as needed.

ASX went further with this idea than most developers, with the company building a prototype and testing this ground logistics system at full scale.

The 200kWh batteries will be in containers, not in the glider. ASX claims each is good for a flight range of about 240km, but since the pods are interchangeable, there’s no need to idle the wing, open another one and fly.

ASX’s plan is to start mass production of these eVTOLs in 2025 with 100 aircraft planned to be outsourced, and in 2027 the company will set up its own factory for mass production of 500 units per year.