Aston Martin joins race to the skies
Volante Vision Concept aims to cut congestion and improve mobility with luxury personal transportation vehicle
British luxury brand Aston Martin has presented its Volante Vision Concept at Farnborough…
Volante Vision Concept aims to cut congestion and improve mobility with luxury personal transportation vehicle
British luxury brand Aston Martin has presented its Volante Vision Concept at Farnborough International Airshow.
The luxury concept aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities has been produced in partnership with Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions and Rolls-Royce.
With room for three adults, the Volante Vision is a flying autonomous hybrid-electric vehicle for urban and inter-city air travel. The concept takes full advantage of the latest advances in aerospace, electrification and autonomous technologies, coupled with Aston Martin’s signature design.
The Volante Vision combines the strengths of Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin, this concept unites aerospace, propulsion and designer specialists.
Air travel ‘crucial in future of transportation’
Aston Martin President and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “With the population in urban areas continuing to grow, congestion in towns and cities will become increasingly demanding. We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility. Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation, the Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate luxury mobility solution.”
“Humans have always spent on average, one hour commuting to and from work. The distance we live from our workplace has been determined by the methods of transportation available. The Volante Vision Concept will enable us to travel further with our hourly commute, meaning we are able to live further away from where we work. Cities will grow, and towns that are today too far away from cities to be commutable will become suburban.”
“With Aston Martin and our ‘dream team’ of British innovation across industry and academia, we are positioned to change the future of transportation, giving our customers a new dimension of freedom.”
Electric propulsion – inevitable and challenging
Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) CEO Paul Hutton added: “The introduction of autonomous and electric propulsion technologies into new aircraft designs is both inevitable and challenging, and as the UK’s leading aircraft design and production SME we are excited to be playing this key role in the Volante Vision Concept and so to be at the vanguard of this revolution in aerospace.”
Director, Rolls-Royce Electrical Rob Watson said: “This is a great opportunity to collaborate on a pioneering project which will use high performance hybrid-electric propulsion technologies for personal air mobility concepts that could transform the future of transportation.”
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
