Since its founding in 2015, Lilium has become a force to be reckoned with in the eVTOL and air mobility space. The German company's rise was exemplified at the Farnborough Airshow, where it landed a series of partnerships with key players across the aviation industry. Amid this progress, Simple Flying spoke with Lilium SVP of Business Sebastien Borel about the company’s journey.

Deal after deal

Even before FIA 2022, Lilium had made agreements with a robust list of partners, including Azul, Honeywell, Expliseat, Livent, Aernnova, ABB, NetJets, and Ferrovial. As the airshow got underway, the firm added Bristow Group to the expansive list. The two companies signed a strategic partnership agreement that would see Bristow purchase 50 Lilium Jets while providing maintenance services for Lilium's launch network across the United States and Europe.

Following this initiative, Belgium's ASL Group signed an agreement to take on six Lilium eVTOL jets in a bid to offer a more sustainable travel option. The very next day, it was announced that Norway's AAP Aviation would acquire 40 Lilium aircraft in a move that could see an overhaul to short-haul Scandinavian travel.

Heading south across Europe, it was then revealed that Lilium is partnering with Helity Copter Airlines to develop an urban air mobility network across Andalusia. Lilium then wrapped up the Farnborough Airshow by selecting aircraft solutions powerhouse Dielh Aviation to design cabins for its eVTOLs.

Lilium Jet
Lilium Jets will have a maximum range of 250+ km (155+ miles) with reserves. Photo: Lilium

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In practice

It’s no doubt that Lilium has covered all angles when it comes to the potential to be had with its aircraft. While there are several budding eVTOL programs developing, Lilium has already made good progress with its flight tests. It began another phase of testing in Spain with its 5th generation technology demonstrator, Phoenix 2, in April.

The video below shows the test unit achieving main wing transition. This is the first time a full-size electric jet plane has made the transition from hover to wing-borne flight.

A unique aspect of Lilium compared with other eVTOL prospects is the jet. Primarily, eVTOLs are an evolution of the helicopter. However, Lilium’s jet will transport passengers with a vertical takeoff and landing and travel by jet technology.

Lilium highlights that its electric jet engines rely on a single "stage" rotor/stator system driven by an electric motor with no emissions. The electric jet engines are integrated into the wing flaps and offer benefits when it comes to “payload, aerodynamic efficiency and a lower noise profile.” They also provide thrust vector control to move the plane through every phase of flight.

Best of both worlds

Lilium’s Sebastien Borel explained to Simple Flying that his company’s aircraft is a modern combination of both the helicopter and jet plane.

“We can do vertical takeoff and landing, but we also have a wing and jet engine. This makes our architecture very unique because other competitors have an open rotor type of system. This is interesting because if you look at the business jets - 14% of business jets are flying under 250 km. So, if you consider the four to five thousand VIP helicopters around the world, both sectors are doing short-haul missions, and there is a huge demand for this.”

There is a clear focus on the target audience for such an aircraft. While there is the opportunity for a wider vertiport network, this is something that will take time to mature. For now, there is an existing market for Lilium.

“We are looking to go premium first. That’s our premier market because we won’t have to build massive million-dollar networks. We can provide solutions at existing heliports and airports while we are still working on more affordable ways of travel in the urban air mobility segment.”

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Lilium Wing

Looking ahead

So, while premium is the start, Lilium is preparing to take part in a more high-frequency system. The partnership with Azul is evidence of this, with the potential to link smaller cities from the likes of São Paulo.

Altogether, with a cruising altitude of 3,000 m (10,000 ft) and a speed of 280 km/h (175 mph), passengers and airlines will be keen to utilize Lilium Jets for more sustainable short-distance operations. The short-haul market will undoubtedly look different by the time the 2030s arrive.

What are your thoughts about Lilium and its partnerships? What do you make of the future of urban air mobility? Let us know what you think of the program and its prospects in the comment section.