Large Cargo Compartment Accepts Up To 3 Euro-Pallets (EPAL) On V300

Pipistrel's Nuuva V300 is a long-range large-capacity heavy-weight autonomous eVTOL UAV. As smaller Nuuva V20 provides options for last-mile delivery missions.

The Nuuva V300 is envisioned as Pipistrel's flagship model of the Nuuva series of UAVs. The highly customizable autonomous aircraft can carry up to 460 kg, is economical to operate, and offers the efficiency and reliability of electric powertrains. Entry into service is planned for the second half of 2023.

Currently, cargo is delivered to many locations around the world with helicopters, which are excellent for hovering but much less efficient in cruise flight. Their complex flight mechanics increases the cost of operation.

The Nuuva family combines the best of both aeroplane and helicopter air cargo transportation principles. The unmanned eVTOL capability enables it to go where no aeroplane is able to, while its hybrid configuration reportedly allows it to operate more efficiently than a helicopter on an equivalent mission.

The large cargo compartment accepts up to 3 Euro-pallets (EPAL) that can be easily loaded with a regular forklift. The Nuuva V300 then flies a preloaded flight plan fully autonomously, controlled by a digital flight control system. Continuous communication allows the ground operator, who manages the vehicle with simple mouse-clicks, to have ultimate control in case of changes or cancellation of the flight.

The Nuuva V300 takes-off and lands using eight independent and certified battery-powered Pipistrel E-811 electric engines. The whole system is safeguarded by the integrated health self monitoring system that alerts of any potential malfunction even before it occurs, increasing the reliability and safety. Nuuva V300's batteries can be charged by plugging-in to a SkyCharge by Pipistrel and Green Motion charging station.

An internal combustion engine in the aft fuselage powers the aircraft in cruise flight, offering good fuel economy and low maintenance costs. A unique tandem-wing configuration with fly-by-wire control surfaces boosts the aerodynamic efficiency and reduces the landing footprint of the vehicle.

The Nuuva V300 can be customized for a wide range of missions. For operators that prioritize longer range, the vehicle's payload capacity and anti-ice capabilities can be traded-off for more usable fuel, being able to transport 50-kg payload for as far as 2,500 km - all this without compromising the ability to take-off and land vertically from altitudes as high as 8,000 ft. At lower take-off altitudes and with shorter mission requirements, the payload can be increased to up to 460 kg.

The smaller sibling of the Nuuva family, the V20, shares the same architecture and advantages of the larger V300 but is designed as a lightweight cargo courier carrying payloads of up to 20 kg. First customers will be able to take deliveries as early as 2021.

FMI: www.pipistrelaircraft.com/aircraft/nuuva-v300/