At an aviation exhibition in China, the Italian developer of new urban air mobility – Manta Aircraft – presented a full-scale mockup of the futuristic six-seat ANN Plus aircraft. Focusing on the eastern market and concluding a partnership with the Chinese company Shenyang Aviation Industries Group will speed up the start of production of the electric aircraft and its promotion to Asian markets.
Image source: Manta Aircraft
The ANN Plus electric aircraft, also known as ANN-6, continues the company’s development of a new class of electric-powered aircraft. The wingspan of the device is 12.1 m, length – 12.2 m, height – 2.7 m. The cockpit has seats: five passenger seats and one for the pilot. When making the exhibition piece, the developer used expensive finishing materials such as leather and wood.
The electric aircraft is equipped with four electric motors with propellers built into the fuselage, as well as two channel electric motors (propellers) under each wing. These engines are rotary, allowing the ANN Plus to take off vertically or with a short takeoff run. Landing, apparently, is only possible on a runway, even a shortened one.
Thanks to the aerodynamic profile of the airframe, ANN Plus is capable of traveling up to 300 km on batteries alone or up to 1000 km when operating a fuel generator in conjunction with electric motors. Biological fuel is used as fuel, but hydrogen can be used if required. The platform allows for flexibility in configuring power units.
The cruising speed of ANN Plus will be 240 km/h. Its flight range and speed make it suitable for both urban routes and regional flights. The operation of ANN Plus, according to the developers, will be simpler and much cheaper than servicing traditional helicopters.
With the help of Shenyang Aviation Industries Group, Manta Aircraft plans to produce two flyable ANN Plus models in China (the company also has options for one and two passengers). After this, the electric aircraft must be certified for operation in China and other countries in the East Pacific region, from where its global distribution will begin.