TIE Announces Final Assembly Stage of Innovative ‘SHIFT Compson’ eVTOL Aircraft
The Korean company ‘This Is Engineering‘ (hereinafter referred to as TIE) has announced on January 31st that it has entered the final assembly stage of its high-speed autonomous flying Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicle, the ‘SHIFT Compson’.
‘SHIFT Compson’ is an electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, innovatively designed to enhance safety while maximizing flight speed and range. This design integrates the advantages of both tiltrotor and multirotor technologies.
The aircraft unveiled is a two-seater prototype of the ‘SHIFT Compson’, a five-seat vertical take-off and landing AAM aircraft. It is engineered based on TIE’s proprietary flight control technology and aircraft design expertise, capable of reaching top speeds of 330km/h and a range exceeding 280km.
The prototype has completed a comprehensive system functionality check and is now in the final assembly stage for integration with the propulsion system. This propulsion system, developed in TIE’s experimental facilities, is undergoing final performance checks. Upon completion, it will be combined with the aircraft for ground tests, with flight tests planned for the first half of this year.
TIE emphasized that developing AAM, which incorporates advanced technologies such as electronics, telecommunications, autonomous flight, computer vision, and machine learning, is a challenging process. Despite lengthy development periods, most companies in AAM development have not yet achieved significant results. TIE highlighted that developing the unique concept of the ‘SHIFT Compson’ prototype in a short period, despite technical limitations and restricted infrastructures, is an unprecedented achievement in the AAM industry.
To surpass various technical hurdles, TIE adapted the System Engineering Process (SEP) to an agile approach based on system engineering philosophy, significantly cutting development time and costs. The company also introduced a modular battery pack system and focused on reducing heat generation from high currents and enhancing safety in the design of the thermal structure and Battery Management System (BMS).
TIE’s SHIFT Compson is developed with its proprietary distributed control technology, STAC. This technology enables the world’s first distributed control over four tilt-rotor groups, allowing for long-range endurance and high-speed flight with its unique fixed-wing integration. The aircraft also boasts remarkable agility and minimal body movement, ensuring passenger comfort and stability.
Moreover, this prototype enhances urban flight safety by incorporating TIE’s autonomous flying technology, capable of omnidirectional obstacle detection and avoidance, preparing for the anticipated increase in unmanned aerial vehicles.
The development of TIE’s prototype marks a significant milestone, positioning South Korea as a leader in the AAM industry. This achievement showcases the country’s possession of a deep-tech company with cutting-edge technological competitiveness in the future aviation mobility industry. TIE is currently coordinating with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Aviation Safety Technology Institute, and local governments to select a site for flight testing.
Yoo-Jung Hong, CEO of TIE, stated, “This prototype’s development was made possible by the innovative mindset of the entire TIE development team. With this achievement, we aim to rapidly secure a leading position in the future aviation mobility sector.”
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