WHISPER AERO INC — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: AFX20D-TCSO1

Description

Whisper Aero proposes investigating a novel electric propulsor designed to achieve ultra low noise, high specific power, and high efficiency both at static and high speed cruise conditions. These capabilities are critical to enable eVTOL aircraft to achieve scaled market use in urban areas, and the wide breadth of mission applications across commercial, public use and military aircraft. The eQ Propulsor has an innovative architecture that enables electric motors to achieve high specific power at low disk loading - yet with low tip speeds to achieve very low acoustic signatures. The technology is scale independent, for use from small hovering surveillance drones to large people/cargo carrying eVTOL/eSTOL/eCTOL. First principle analysis indicates an acoustic signature below all current eVTOL development efforts, with the potential to blend into ambient urban soundscapes. Range and speed of aircraft applying this propulsor will be on par with existing propeller configurations, but with far superior community acceptability. Key risks have been identified, with analysis and hardware research focused to establish feasibility across the mechanical and acoustic design. This technology also has the potential to be applied across non-aviation commercial products. Prior team experience includes pioneering DEP at NASA, founding Uber Elevate, and major U.S. aerospace corporations.