Lilium Tweaks Its eVTOL Design for Short Running Landings

Gear for Germany-based Lilium’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) production aircraft will allow pilots the option for short running landings in addition to vertical landings.

Thom Patterson

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 11:56 AM ET

Verified

Imagery shows the finalized preliminary design for the Lilium Jet, including newly added traditional landing gear and canard winglets. [Courtesy: Lilium]

Key Takeaways:

Lilium has added traditional tricycle landing gear to its eVTOL Lilium Jet, enabling short running landings as an alternative to vertical landings for enhanced safety, flexibility, and energy management.
The aircraft's design has been further optimized by reducing ducted fans from 36 to 30 and making other aerodynamic adjustments to improve efficiency, reduce weight, and support EASA certification.
These design changes aim to increase reserve range for real-world scenarios and alternate landing sites, addressing the significant energy demands of vertical takeoffs and landings.
Powered by high-performance proprietary battery cells, the Lilium Jet is progressing towards certification with a targeted launch range of 250 km and has secured provisional purchase agreements with airlines like Azul and NetJets.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Germany-based Lilium (NASDAQ: LILM) has revealed a key design change in its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft currently under development: the addition of traditional landing gear.

Engineers said adding tricycle landing gear to the finalized preliminary design of the Lilium Jet will offer pilots the option to execute short running landings as an alternative to landing vertically.