AKKA’s multimodal Link & Fly aircraft successfully completes first test flight

Press releases — July 23 2019

Brussels – 23^rd July 2019: AKKA Technologies’ revolutionary multimodal concept aircraft “Link & Fly” has successfully completed the validation of the flight physics during the maiden flight of its scale 1:13 drone near Toulouse, France.

What is the Link & Fly?

Link & Fly is a concept aircraft designed by AKKA and first presented at the 2019 edition of the International Paris Air Show. With the current growth rate of air traffic, the world’s airports will reach saturation point by 2030. Link & Fly has been designed as not merelyan aircraft, but as a solution that addresses multiple passenger, aircraft and infrastructure operational challenges through innovative technologies that will optimize aircraft turn-around times, as well as airport infrastructures in order to reduce congestion in and around airports.

Link & Fly is revolutionary multimodal air transport system including a detachable cabin, a wing-propulsion carrier as well as a verticalized airport and in-city infrastructure aspects. To help reduce airport saturation, this single aisle, medium-haul aircraft optimizes rotation times from 50min for similar sized aircrafts, to approximately 20min.

First successful test flight

To validate the flight physics, AKKA has built a scale 1:13 turbine jet drone of the Link & Fly model. This is the minimum scale model required to adequately reproduce flying conditions and validate the flight physics of the full-sized aircraft.

‘’ This is an exciting moment for AKKA and a major step in the Link & Fly project. While we have long since proven our ability to build full scale serial model vehicles and develop concept cars for the automotive industry, developing a comprehensive, multimodal aircraft is a bigger challenge that AKKA can uniquely master thanks to its full aerospace product-lifecycle capability. With concepts like Link & Fly we fulfil our role as accelerators of innovation for our customers and help them bring their products and services to the market in a competitive and fast-paced environment! ‘’

Jean-Franck Ricci

Managing Director in charge of AKKA’s Business Development

The original idea for Link & Fly stems from the same approach as AKKA’s first fully autonomous and electric vehicle, Link & Go, in 2011. Owing to AKKA’s long standing expertise and focus on the mobility sector, the Group’s innovation hub – AKKA Research – has harnessed its cross-sector and digital experts in France, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic to address the key challenges faced by the wider mobility industry and take into account the user, operational, infrastructure and environmental challenges that lie ahead.

‘’ The future of mobility is about user-driven multimodality. It disrupts all previously known models, extends across all platforms, from electric scooters to aircrafts and their respective physical and digital infrastructures. Link & Fly sets a new benchmark in multimodal aircraft development. This is why I am particularly proud of this milestone – it takes ambitious ideas, together with solid engineering skills from all parts of our business to make bold innovation happen. We look forward to announcing the next chapter in what is not your usual aircraft program! ‘’

Mauro Ricci

Founder & CEO of AKKA

Jul 23 2019

.pdf — 472.75 KB

AKKA’s multimodal Link & Fly aircraft successfully completes first test flight

Download

AKKA’s multimodal Link & Fly aircraft successfully completes first test flight

Brussels – 23rd July 2019: AKKA Technologies’ revolutionary multimodal concept aircraft “Link & Fly” has successfully completed the validation of the flight physics during the maiden flight of its scale 1:13 drone near Toulouse, France.

Brussels – 23^rd July 2019: AKKA Technologies’ revolutionary multimodal concept aircraft “Link & Fly” has successfully completed the validation of the flight physics during the maiden flight of its scale 1:13 drone near Toulouse, France.