Limosa has unveiled the latest version of its LimoConnect V2 eVTOL/eCTOL aircraft.

The vision for a seven-seater aircraft was released in February 2022, after Limosa recognised an opportunity to enter the AAM market at a capacity size where only one other concept was present. The bio-inspired fuselage shape, curved wings, eight tilting propellers and CTOL functionality were well received, the company says. The Canada-based team went on to add several key aerospace veterans, and two small-scale prototypes were built and tested, providing valuable insights into the feasibility of the design. Using feedback from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) and third-party consulting agencies, dozens of simulations and detailed structural design following all certification guidelines, the company went on to focus on a practical and real aircraft design rather than bedroom wall posters.

This latest version of the aircraft features several significant improvements over the original, including:

- A change in the layout of the distributed electric propulsion system (DEP), reducing the number of moving parts and tilting mechanisms by half, which simplifies and reduces the failure risk of the DEP system.

- A redesigned control surface system with large fowler flaps, enabling LimoConnect V2 to perform conventional take off and landing on very short runways.

- A larger interior space for passengers and cargo, achieved by relocating the wings.

- A more efficient propulsion system that reduces noise by rotating at lower rotational speeds.

- A new avionics system that provides enhanced safety and situational awareness.

Limosa founder and CEO Hamid Hamidi says: "LimoConnect V2 is the culmination of months of hard work and dedication. We have taken everything we learned from the original LimoConnect and incorporated it into this new aircraft. By going back to the roots of aircraft design principles, we have created a vehicle that is simple and practical, and will revolutionise urban air mobility."

Flight testing is scheduled to begin in 2024. The company expects to receive type certification from TCCA in 2028. Once certified, LimoConnect will be available for sale to commercial and private customers.

"This aircraft is the sole SUV-sized vehicle in its category to offer both conventional take off and landing as well as vertical capabilities," continues Hamidi. "Thanks to its adaptable interior design, LimoConnect is poised to serve cargo, medevac, air taxi, public security services, offshore and other market segments. With unwavering support from both the Canadian federal and Quebec provincial governments, Limosa is in a formidable position to bring the LimoConnect to commercial fruition before the end of the decade."