Whisper Aero Announces New Flight Test Center to Develop Ultraquiet Propulsion

Company claims to reduce aircraft noise to a whisper while delivering 20 percent greater efficiency than other ducted fan designs.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at 03:34 PM ET

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Whisper’s executive team celebrates breaking ground on the company’s new flight test center. [Courtesy: Whisper Aero]

Key Takeaways:

Whisper Aero, an aerospace startup founded by former NASA and Uber Elevate experts, develops proprietary ultraquiet electric propulsion systems for various aircraft, from drones to regional jets.
Their technology uses uniquely designed electric ducted fans with high blade counts and low tip speeds to shift blade passage frequency into the ultrasonic range, significantly reducing perceptible noise.
The company is expanding its development capabilities with a new 8,000-square-foot flight test center at Crossville Memorial Airport, backed by $1.2 million in state funding, for testing and integrating its propulsion systems.
Whisper Aero aims to license its propulsion technology, demonstrating its potential with the "Whisper Jet" concept for quiet regional transport, rather than manufacturing complete aircraft.

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Since emerging from stealth in 2021, Crossville, Tennessee-based Whisper Aero has continued to operate behind the scenes, only recently unveiling its ultraquiet jet concept. But the startup is stepping up development of its proprietary propulsion system—one it claims, fittingly, reduces aircraft noise to a whisper.

Whisper on Monday held a ceremony to introduce its new flight test center in Crossville, an 8,000-square-foot hangar backed by a $1.2 million appropriation from the state of Tennessee. Construction on the facility, co-located at Crossville Memorial Airport (KCSV), is expected to begin later this year and be completed by early next year.