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VRCO, designer and manufacturer of the high-end e-VTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) craft, will exclusively use Quanergy’s S3 solid state LiDAR sensors in the testing and market release versions of the aircraft.

The e-VTOL craft, NeoXcraft XP2, which VRCO and the University of Derby unveiled in late 2017 and intend to launch in 2020, is a two-passenger electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing high-speed land, air, and water capable craft. The craft can scan and memorize take-off locations and store the data for use on the next approach to the same location. Quanergy’s innovative S3 solid state LiDAR sensor will be used for downward and forward scanning to enhance the craft’s safety, providing the NeoXcraft with the ability to detect, sense, and avoid objects upon takeoff, approach and landing.

Quanergy’s S3 is the first and only compact, low-cost, automotive-grade solid state LiDAR sensor, with the highest level of performance and reliability. Unlike its mechanical counterparts, it uses optical phased array technology. This technology enables electronic laser beam steering for real-time scanning and situational analysis without any moving parts. The use of this specialized technology will further enhance the safety of the NeoXcraft during take-off and particularly upon landing when high precision is required, as is the case when landing on a super-yacht.

In addition to its technical achievements, the compact design of the S3 enables the sensor to be concealed in the body of the NeoXcraft. This allows for real-time 3D mapping and object detection, tracking and classification, without compromising the aesthetics or aerodynamics of the craft.