Urban/Advanced Air Mobility (UAM/AAM) technology is advancing rapidly with over 300 designs underway. Primary to the challenges of an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) is what will happen if the vehicle suffers a failure in flight (especially in VTOL). Establishment of a level of safety is paramount in the success or failure of the UAM market. Currently, there is not a practical recovery solution for UAMs as conventional ballistically deployed recovery systems will not work in VTOL as they depend on forward speed to inflate a parachute canopy. With no forward speed as would be encountered in VTOL, the only way to inflate the canopy is with altitude loss. Typical UAM operational profiles indicate that the time it takes to inflate a canopy in free fall far exceeds the anticipated operational altitudes of most UAM designs. This leaves a critical safety gap. Aviation Safety Resources (ASR) has taken this problem, analyzed various approaches, and designed an innovative solution that will provide UAM vehicle recovery, even in a VTOL configuration, saving the occupants, significantly reducing damage to the vehicle and the ground (structures and personnel). The ASR eXtreme Rapid Deployment (XRD) system employs lifesaving technology in use in general aviation for over 30-years and has significantly upgraded its capability with ASR proprietary technology. This work has led to a series of innovations that significantly increase the effectiveness of a Whole Aircraft Recovery Parachute System (WARPS) and ultimately save lives. The XRD creates an extremely rapid parachute canopy inflation, without dependence on altitude loss. If a UAM loses power during VTOL at only 500-ft AGL, the vehicle would impact at 179 fps (122 miles per hour) without a recovery system, certainly a fatal event. Even with a conventional recovery system, there is not enough time or altitude to achieve a survivable condition. When the XRD is deployed, the vehicle would be under a stable descent and impact the ground at 30-fps (20 mph). The XRD is a step-change enhancement to conventional WARPS capabilities by enabling recovery within ~100 feet of altitude loss, even with no forward speed (VTOL). Vehicle safety during operations is critical both for on-board crew/passengers, but also for ground safety in the event of a loss of control. ASRs technologies include advanced aircraft materials, innovative design, advanced testing and manufacturing. ASR has teamed with Wichita State University to present this STTR Phase I application to continue the research and development to establish the scientific, technical, commercial merit and feasibility of integrating advanced commercial parachute systems (XRD) to solve VTOL/UAM recovery issues. The design and technical approach have been evaluated and the capability, we believe is technically achievable, but will use this STTR Phase I award to confirm the feasibility and the quality of the XRD and define its performance.
