VAERIDION

“By 2030, you’ll be able to take a commercial flight from Belgium to London, completely emission-free. It’s not just a distant future, it’s the reality we are building today.” – Ivor van Dartel, CEO & Co-Founder, VÆRIDION .

Van Dartel’s passion for electrification began all the way back in 2007 when he designed his first electric aircraft while studying aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology. Tasked with designing a four-seat training aircraft with sustainability at its core, the potential of electric, sustainable aviation never left him. It led him to found VÆRIDION, a Germany-based aircraft manufacturer, with the goal of transforming regional air travel with a battery-electric aircraft. 

The aerospace industry increasingly calls for more sustainable, affordable and accessible solutions for regional air travel, and VÆRIDION ’s 100% electric Microliner promises to be a powerful disruptor. 

Designed to carry nine passengers and two pilots, the Microliner will connect up to 2,300 airports across Europe, opening new routes for business travellers between regions that are underserved by road, rail or ferry and are too costly to reach with conventional aircraft – for example, Rotterdam and Groningen. VÆRIDION is introducing a new mobility solution aimed at enhancing multimodality and strengthening connectivity for remote communities to drive economic growth across regions. 

Every aspect of the aircraft is engineered for safety and performance, with its advanced battery system being designed to meet the demands of short-haul flights. Defined by its “battery wing integration”, the Microliner’s advanced battery packs are uniquely mounted into the wing to power its electric engines. This design optimizes the wing's structural and aerodynamic efficiency. Moreover, the Microliner features a state-of-the-art multi-engine, single propeller electric propulsion system which unlocks engine redundancy combined with centerline thrust safety. Thanks to its innovative propulsion architecture, the Microliner is producing zero CO2 and NOx emissions, no contrails and emits significantly less noise than conventional aircraft. These innovative features result in an aircraft with exceptional energy efficiency without compromising safety or passenger comfort.

“Our mission goes beyond delivering best-in-class aircraft. We aim to bring a product to market that seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure, while making regional air travel more accessible and ensuring profitable margins for regional operators,” van Dartel said.

With the goal of becoming EASA CS-23 certified by 2030, VÆRIDION  has the potential to pave the way toward a new era of emission-free commercial aviation. How are they doing it?How are they doing it? Through the power of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

“During our transition from R&D to aircraft development phase, we faced significant challenges: not only did our technology need to advance, but our systems and processes also had to evolve. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform allowed us to accelerate development while keeping processes simple and effective for the company of our scale”, van Dartel said. 

Revolutionizing aviation is no small feat, and VÆRIDION is facing several industry challenges. First, conventional aircraft are not suited for short-haul routes, being costly and inefficient. Additionally, the industry, passengers and regulators demand decarbonization and the development of more sustainable modes of air travel. The Microliner addresses these external pressures; however, there are the added technological challenges of designing a fully electric aircraft.

The Microliner’s technology is completely based on a battery-electric propulsion system, integrated tightly into the wing. The design team must ensure high performance across all critical flight phases, from take-off on relatively short runaways to cruising while maximizing the range. The aircraft concept relies on battery-wing installation, which enables a large wingspan at no structural penalty. The slender wing is a key aerodynamic advantage the Microliner has over conventional designs. Besides optimizing aerodynamic performance, minimizing the airframe’s weight is crucial to accommodating the maximum number of batteries on board.  

While these challenges are not typical of a conventional aircraft, VÆRIDION is pleased by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s ability to handle what is outside the regular scope of aeronautical engineering. “While our project follows many aspects of conventional aircraft development, designing the propulsion system is highly unconventional. We rely on different applications within the same software family: one is ideal for battery module design, another for structures.  This flexibility enables us to pick the perfect tool for every design activity. It’s like a Swiss pocket knife,” said Markus Kochs-Kämper, CTO, VÆRIDION.

Using Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform has completely changed the pace at which engineers can bring the Microliner into the air. Seamlessly integrated into the platform, engineers use SIMULIA’s automated simulation capabilities to reduce time-consuming manual tasks during the design phase. CATIA allows users to create and complete advanced mechanical parts from the conceptual to the detailed phases of design. ENOVIA connects all project stakeholders with simple project management on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, where everyone can access one project plan, anytime and anywhere on the cloud.  

“One of the biggest challenges engineering companies face is managing multiple tools simultaneously. With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, we have all the essential tools in a single platform, accessible to everyone in the organization, from engineers and students to the management team. This streamlines our development processes, guaranteeing real-time data accuracy and reducing inefficiencies,” Kochs-Kämper said.

The platform’s virtual twin capabilities also play an important role in the team’s success. A huge part of what makes the Microliner unique is the technical choices they made. Virtual twin capabilities allow the team to simulate and test various placements of their batteries to optimize both installation and maintainability.

“During the design phase, the virtual twin acts as the master of all data. We are able to manage detailed design and configuration real time in the 3D world and then take the virtual twin to the shop floor during battery modules manufacturing. There is continuity between the data from the design stage to production. Manufacturers are able to work on assembly with the context of the virtual twin to support them,” Kochs-Kämper said.

The platform’s virtual twin capabilities also help to troubleshoot design issues as they ultimately arise. “We can tell the design office, 'Sorry, what you designed actually does not work based on what we are seeing in the virtual twin.' We can then give them specific feedback within the platform and have them easily make design updates,” Kochs-Kämper said.

With a project at this level of complexity, the power of having the right tools accessible all in a central location that all team members can easily access cannot be underestimated. “I have been in the aerospace industry for a long time, and I know how powerful it is to be able to move at this speed. We have already had great success with the platform, and as we move into manufacturing the first prototypes for the flight test campaign, I’m confident the 3DEXPERIENCE platform will enable us to streamline the journey toward certification,” Kochs-Kämper said. 

The aviation industry is among the most heavily regulated in the world, making it essential to design aircraft with certifiability at their core. VÆRIDION started its engagement with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) early on, becoming the first General Aviation company to finalize its Pre-Application Contract with the agency. This milestone paves the way for certification-conforming prototype flights in 2027, with the first commercial flight targeted for 2030.

“We established strong ties with EASA through the Pre-Application Services, enabling us de-risk our certification strategy prior to Type Certificate application. As we move into the next development phase, having the right framework and processes in place will be essential to ensure certifiability and data traceability. That’s where Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform proves its value,” Kochs-Kämper said.

Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables VÆRIDION to facilitate the certification journey by easily documenting end-to-end processes data at every step, from defining certification basis to performing compliance demonstration, with single source of truth and traceability thanks to ENOVIA, CATIA & SIMULIA capabilities.

VÆRIDION envisions a future where Regional Air Mobility is cleaner, cost-effective, and more inclusive, bringing mobility to underserved regions and communities. Through its partnership with Dassault Systèmes, the company is one step closer to getting the Microliner off the ground and turning this vision into reality.

“Our relationship goes far beyond that of a typical software vendor. We benefit from Dassault Systèmes’ technical expertise and strong industry reputation, while we contribute by driving innovative projects that unlock new opportunities and real-world applications for their technology,” van Dartel said.

Dassault Systèmes & VÆRIDION are active members of the European aviation ecosystem, strengthening region’s competitiveness and pushing the boundaries of aerospace innovation. Together, they are propelling the development and commercial deployment of a new generation aircraft to redefine regional air mobility in Europe and beyond.

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