NASA, Uber Veterans Aim to Reduce S/VTOL Noise to a Whisper

Whisper Aero says its JetFoil enables conventional, short, or vertical takeoff and landing in the same form factor.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, June 02, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Whisper Aero’s JetFoil integrates electric ducted fan engines in the leading edge of a wing airfoil to enable quiet, near-vertical takeoff. [Credit: Whisper Aero]

Key Takeaways:

Whisper Aero unveiled its JetFoil propulsion system, designed to enable runway independence (short/vertical takeoff and landing) for a wide range of aircraft, from electric air taxis to military transporters.
The JetFoil integrates ultraquiet electric engines and ducted fans onto a wing's airfoil, allowing takeoffs with just a 50-foot ground roll using less thrust than traditional VTOL designs, which can lead to double the payload and greater range.
This innovative system achieves near-vertical takeoff without tilting propulsors by using flaps to redirect airflow at a 90-degree angle over the wing, generating passive lift, and also incorporates jet noise reduction.
Whisper Aero is partnering with U.S. government entities (Air Force, Navy, NASA) to validate JetFoil-equipped prototypes for defense applications, with plans for future commercial use in urban and regional air mobility.

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Quiet aviation propulsion system developer Whisper Aero on Tuesday unveiled a system designed to enable runway independence for conventional, short, or vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, from electric air taxis to military transporters.

Whisper last year unveiled its JetFoil propulsion system—which integrates the company’s “ultraquiet” electric engines and ducted fan system on a wing’s airfoil—for autonomous military platforms. At SAE International’s AeroTech 2026 event in Florida this week, the firm said the JetFoil could enable takeoffs with just 50 feet of ground roll using less than half the thrust of VTOL designs that use tilting propulsors. That covers many eVTOL (electric VTOL) air taxi concepts.