MANTA AIRCRAFT Hybrid Electric ANN1 and ANN2 will take off and land vertically. Video.

 

The name 'Manta' will probably ring a bell with older readers of Up in the Sky. It was a legendary coupe from car manufacturer Opel. In the 1970s and 1980s, more than a million were manufactured. A Manta is a large fish, a ray that lives in tropical and subtropical oceans and has a mouth at the front instead of the bottom. With some imagination, the shape of the aircraft designs of Manta Aircraft can be traced back to the striking ray. This also applies to the logo. 

To design

Manta Aircraft is based in Lugano, in the southern canton of Ticino. The company is engaged in consultancy and the design of (hybrid) electric aircraft. This concerns aircraft with 1 or 2 seats for the Urban and Regional Air Mobility. The planes are S / VTOL: they can use very short runways or take off and land vertically. The Mantas are suitable for personal use, but can also be used for special operations such as environmental inspection, emergency assistance, and search and rescue. Partners of the Swiss company are automotive manufacturer YCOM and software giant BSIM Engineering.

 

Showpiece

Manta Aircraft has two aircraft in its range. The ANN1 is a type of racing aircraft. The single-seater has a length of 7 meters and a wingspan of 5.5 meters. The device has a high maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour and excellent climbing performance and is very maneuverable. The two-seater ANN2 is to become the showpiece for General Aviation. The aircraft is a stroke larger than the ANN 1 and has a considerable range of 600 kilometers. This is achieved, among other things, by not ascending vertically, but horizontally. 

Characteristics

The ANN2 is made of composites and has 8 tiltable ducted fans; 4 in the wings, 2 in the fuselage, and 2 in the back. Other features include a cockpit with very good all-round visibility, a fly-by-wire system and a human-machine interface that is easy to use. The aircraft is equipped with canards for high efficiency during level flight. Operational costs are expected to be significantly lower than for a helicopter. Also handy, the ANN2 can be transported by road in a trailer. Manta Aircraft is currently working hard to complete a 1: 3 model of the ANN2.

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