Jetcopter VTOL Technologies Sky Shadow

Sky Shadow
Jetcopter VTOL Technologies
Wyoming, USA
www.jet-copter.com

Founded in January 2019 by Don Skulski, who has been self-employed since 1994, Jetcopter’s purpose is to provide a better aircraft for all types of missions from civilian to military. Skulski’s reason for Jetcopter’s multiple new concept designs is to create and manufacture a better, safer, faster, more efficient and more affordable aircraft for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and for Rural Air Mobility. The inventor has said that his aircraft are part airplane and part helicopter and are all of his designs are modular in design. Skulski is a prolific aircraft designer where we have counted at least 19 different aircraft models listed on his website as of October 2021. The company has already requested funding from investors and is continuing looking for investors.

Skulski’s designs include hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft and conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL). Each of his aircraft have a flexible power source and can be outfitted with petroleum engines, fuel cells or all batteries. In 2021, the company has stated they have been developing VTOL aircraft for European military.

The Skulski suggests due to using electric motors with propellers, drone-type technology and modern/novel manufacturing materials and techniques, that the production cost for his aircraft will be twice as low as conventional aircraft made today. In addition, the inventor foresees their manufacturing production times will be two to three times shorter than today’s conventional aircraft manufacturer’s production times.

Several of Jetcopter VTOL Technologies’s concept designs are modular. The modules include the propulsion system, the engine compartment and then the fuselage. This way, any module can be manufactured either in the same production facility or in separate production facilities and assembled each aircraft at a designated factory. When the aircraft is designed like this, this allows the customer to not only make maintenance easier but allows the customer to reconfigure the aircraft from a passenger aircraft to a cargo aircraft.

The Sky Shadow is a VTOL stealth military troop carrier which can be powered by multiple power sources (such as a hybrid-electric power source (piston or turbine petroleum powered engine, or fuel cells) or it can be powered by batteries. The power source is determined by customer requirements. As battery density increases in the future, this aircraft can be converted from using a turbine to make electricity for the entire aircraft to using only batteries to power the aircraft.

While the aircraft can hold 12 military troops, possibly has one or two pilots (or is autonomous) and has an approximate cruise speed of 1,150 mph (1,850 km/h), has an estimated range of 600 miles (965 km) or more, and has a flight time around one hour (or more).

The aircraft has a main low rear delta wing and in the foreplane has mustache wings (usually used on airplanes for control during slower speeds) and one vertical stabilizer. There are front and rear doors for ease of entry and exit of the aircraft. Each door has tinted windows allowing military personnel to survey the landing spot area and check for danger before exiting the aircraft.The aircraft has retractable wheeled landing gear which provides better aerodynamics during forward flight and wheels make it easier to move the aircraft when its on the ground.

The company has not set a timeline for when subscale models or full scale models will be made. The company foresees their aircraft used for personal air transportation, for Urban Air Mobility, for Rural Air Mobility, for air cargo, police, fire, medevac services, for homeland security and in every branch in any military.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL or eVTOL passenger aircraft
• Piloting: Unknown
• Capacity: 12 military troops
• Cruise speed: 1,150 mph (1,850 km/h)
• Range: 600 miles (965 km) – or more
• Flight Time: 1 hour – or more
• Propellers: Unknown
• Electric Motors: Unknown
• Power source: Batteries, hybrid-electric or fuel cells
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: The aircraft has windows for the cockpit and tinted windows on the front and rear doors
• Wings: 1 low delta wing
• Tail: 1 vertical stabilizer
• Landing gear: Retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. The aircraft will also have ballistic parachutes for an added level of safety.

Resources:

• Jetcopter VTOL Technologies website
• Jetcopter VTOL Technologies YouTube Channel
• Jetcopter VTOL Technologies Don Skulski LinkedIn
• Article: JETcopter is a VTOL That Could Land in a Parking Lot, Robb Report, Sept. 19, 2018
• Article: Jetcopter VTOL Aircraft, Aerospace Technology, Date unknown (possibly spring 2019)
• Article: Jetcopter VTOL to be Revealed at Aero 2019, Aviation Today, Mar. 26, 2019
• Video: Here’s How Jetcopter Works, Jetcopter, Mar. 19, 2019
• Article: Jetcopter targets funding for innovative VTOL design, Flight Global, Sept. 10, 2019
• Video: Jetcopter production, Jetcopter, Jan. 30, 2020
• Video: Jetcopter – flying taxi, Jetcopter, Apr. 3, 2020
• Video: SkyEpress – safe, fast, affordable airplane, that won’t need a runway, Jetcopter, Feb. 25, 2021
• Video: SkyExpress take off, Jetcopter, Mar. 14, 2021