• Pipistrel will provide motors, motor controllers, and batteries for Airflow’s Distributed Electric Propulsion approach

Airflow.aero, Inc., an aerospace company building a next-gen electric Short Takeoff and Landing (eSTOL) aircraft, and Pipistrel, a small aircraft designer and manufacturer, have formed a partnership. Pipistrel will supply motors, motor controllers, and batteries for Airflow’s proof-of-concept aircraft. Through this work, the two companies will further explore collaborating on the electric propulsion solution for Airflow’s production aircraft.

Pipistrel is the maker of the first and still the only type-certified electric airplane in the world, the VELIS Electro. The company’s expertise in clean sheet design through to successful project completion makes them an excellent partner as Airflow moves to design, build, and test its full-scale proof-of-concept eSTOL. Airflow leverages Distributed Electric Propulsion, high performing and reliable motors, controllers, and batteries, which are key components to the ultimate success of the aircraft.

There are a lot of ideas flooding the market, which is exciting to see, but not all are based on real technology and realistic aerospace timescales. It makes it hard to clearly see the aircraft that are best-positioned to meet their targets,” said Ivo Boscarol, CEO, Pipistrel. “The Airflow team understands what it takes to bring a new electric aircraft to market and their experience building and flying the Airbus Vahana makes them one of the best positioned teams to accomplish this.