A Colorado-based developer of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) business aircraft is exploring the use of the same magnetically levitated electric propulsion that powers high-speed trains.
According to MagLev Aero president and CEO Ian Randall, such a system has never been used in operational aircraft. That could change, though, after manufacturer XTI Aerospace on Thursday announced it will explore MagLev’s HyperDrive platform for a future family of uncrewed, hybrid-electric aircraft.
XTI is working toward FAA certification of its flagship, six-passenger TriFan 600. It bills the model as an “xVTOL” to denote its “eXtended” range and speed compared to fully electric VTOL (eVTOL) air taxis. Archer Aviation’s Midnight and Joby Aviation’s S4, for example, are designed for short-hop flights cruising at less than 175 knots.
The TriFan 600, by contrast, is expected to exceed 850 nm and 260 knots. It will primarily be used to replace the aging turboprops that handle short-haul business flights, such as between San Diego and Phoenix. XTI also envisions it for cargo and emergency logistics.
With MagLev’s HyperDrive, the company sees a new opportunity—uncrewed aircraft for civil and military missions. It first mentioned that use case in May, when it announced a similar collaboration to explore VerdeGo’s hybrid-electric propulsion technology. Scott Pomeroy, chairman and CEO of XTI, resurfaced it on Thursday.
“Part of our product road map includes a piloted, hybrid-electric version of the TriFan as well as unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Pomeroy in remarks accompanying the announcement. “We believe the MagLev innovations can enable us to produce drones that are significantly more efficient than existing market offerings, allowing them to fly more mission types and, in turn, to capture more customer segments.”
The partners’ memorandum of understanding (MOU) includes a nonbinding preorder for 100 HyperDrive systems. That piece is contingent on the successful installation of HyperDrive on at least one XTI aircraft, they said.
Attractive Alternative
There has never been an aircraft propulsion system quite like MagLev’s HyperDrive.
Magnetic levitation has been successfully adapted to high-speed rail, using repelling forces to suspend trains slightly above the tracks. HyperDrive applies that concept to the aircraft engine by incorporating a many-bladed rim surrounded by magnetic bearings, which essentially “floats” above a massive rotor. The idea is to reduce friction and allow the blades to spin at slower speeds.
Unlike traditional shaft-driven rotors found in helicopters and conventional eVTOLs, HyperDrive directly drives the blade tips. This prevents tip vortices—a phenomenon where air leaks around blade tips, causing thrust loss and increased drag.
The technology also addresses one of the most significant challenges facing electric air taxis: noise. Per MagLev, HyperDrive will be quieter than both helicopter and eVTOL propulsion systems. The company further claims it can achieve the same lift as an eVTOL with significantly lower tip speed and revolutions per minute.
It’s unclear exactly how XTI will adapt the system for its aircraft. But the companies are pursuing “high-value, long-range aviation missions” with uncrewed models.
Such a design would build on XTI’s TriFan concept, which is expected to run on 100 percent SAF-compatible twin turboshaft engines at launch but could later incorporate hybrid- or even full-electric propulsion. Last year, the company announced a conditional order for 100 aircraft from regional carrier Mesa Airlines. Jonathan Ornstein, chairman and CEO of Mesa Air Group, described it as a “reimagined” Beechcraft King Air.
According to XTI, the TriFan ditches the cylindrical shape typical of commercial airlines in favor of a hummingbird-inspired design. It includes three ducted fans—two on the fixed wing that tilt to support both hover and cruise flight, and a third in the rear for stability during takeoff. The model is designed to lift off from helipads, rooftops, grass fields, and other unimproved surfaces. It could even enable short takeoff and landing (STOL) from the runway.
The FAA in March accepted XTI’s type certification application for the TriFan, and the company is working with the regulator to define certification criteria. Those will determine future test requirements for the powered-lift model.
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