Pipistrel Nuuva V300
# Pipistrel Nuuva V300

The Pipistrel Nuuva V300 is an unmanned hybrid-electric VTOL cargo aircraft currently under development by Pipistrel and projected to be released in 2023. The aircraft has eight electric motors driving propellers providing lift as well as a single internal combustion engine driving a propeller providing thrust. The company claims that the aircraft will be able to operate with a typical cargo weight of 300 kg (661 lb) and a typical range of 300 km (162 nmi). In October 2020 the company announced that the aircraft would implement a Honeywell fly-by-wire system.

## Design and development

The aircraft is a tandem wing design, with the rear wing of a larger wingspan than the front one. Both wings are attached to a fuselage, which features a large front door on the nose to access the internal 3 $m^3$ (110 cu ft) cargo hold and an internal combustion engine with a pusher propeller at the rear end.

A pair of booms, one at each side of the aircraft, connect both wings and serve primarily to support eight electric engines intended for vertical propulsion. Each electric engine turns a 2-blade propeller.

In October 2020 the company announced that the aircraft would implement a Honeywell fly-by-wire system with triple redundancy for the autonomous flight control of the vehicle. The flight itself would be autonomous but managed remotely by a ground-based operator.

Pipistrel is planning for the Nuuva V300 to enter service in the second half of 2023. A smaller variant, the Nuuva V20, is expected to start operating as early as 2021 and would carry payloads of up to 20 kg (44 lb).

## Specifications

Data from manufacturer. and eVTOL News

General characteristics

* Crew: none
* Capacity: up to 460 kg (1,010 lb) of cargo on 3 euro-pallets
* Length: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
* Wingspan: 13.2 m (43 ft 4 in)
* Height: 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
* Wing area: 23 $m^2$ (250 sq ft)
* Max takeoff weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb)
* Fuel capacity: 81 L (21 US gal) typical, 410 L (110 US gal) maximum, MOGAS, AVGAS or car gasoline
* Powerplant: 1 × internal combustion aircraft engine
* Powerplant: 8 × Pipistrel E-811 electric engine, powered by lithium batteries
* Propellers: 2-bladed vertical lift units

Performance

* Maximum speed: 220 km/h (137 mph, 119 kn)
* Cruise speed: 165 km/h (102 mph, 89 kn)
* Range: 300 km (190 mi, 160 nmi) with 300 kg of payload
* Service ceiling: 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
* Rate of climb: 3 m/s (590 ft/min)

Avionics

* Honeywell compact fly-by-wire system
