FutureFlight
AMPERe Developing Hydrogen-powered VTOL for UAM Market
The zero-emissions, ducted-fan Scapha VTOL aircraft is expected to fly in 2022.
Scapha
Canada-based AMPERe is displaying imagery of its hydrogen-powered Scala VTOL, as well as about a dozen single-stroke engines, this week at Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo: Chad Trautvetter)

Advanced Materials and Propulsion Engineering and Research’s (AMPERe) Woj-Tech Propulsion Systems (WPS) and Scapha Autonomous Flying Vehicle divisions are co-developing an autonomous, all-composite VTOL for the advanced air mobility market, with first flight planned for late next year. According to the Canada-based companies, the Scapha VTOL will be able to run on hydrogen fuel and thus be a zero-emissions vehicle.

WPS will supply the three 300-hp single-stroke engines that are set to power the aircraft, which illustrations show as having two in-wing ducted fans along with an aft-mounted pusher-prop ducted fan. The engines will be scaled-up versions of WPS’s TS-20 single-stroke engine, which it is currently flying on a 53-pound VTOL unmanned aerial system (UAS).