Here’s why eVTOLs will be much safer than helicopters

Disruptive air transport solution, eVtol promises to obsolete helicopters with strong arguments such as safety.

Mobiwisy recently echoed the development of the German eVtol Lilium, whose architecture resembling that of an airplane is astonishing. Obviously capable of vertical take-offs and landings, it is primarily powered by 30 electric motors. We are far from the now tried-and-true but limited single-rotor helicopter with kerosene-fueled turbine. These are fragile and very costly solutions.

Just in terms of operation, eVtol are going to send helicopters to the museum. This is not a hypothesis, but a fact, as this technology marks a revolution in air transport that we haven’t seen in a century.

Enhanced Safety?

The other major argument is obviously safety. Right now, it’s hard to be convinced since developments are still ongoing and no aircraft has received certification for operation, but this will be the case in the coming months, as 2026 marks the starting line for everyone. Those who are ready will capture the majority of the business. The race is completely crazy with the Chinese, South Koreans, and Europeans at the forefront of technology. Interestingly, we hear little about the Americans…

With its 30 motors, an eVtol like the Lilium benefits from significant redundancy in its lift sources. In the event of a failure of one or more motors, the others can continue to operate, allowing the aircraft to remain airborne and land safely. In any case, without falling like a dead leaf. This redundancy significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic failure.

Single-engine helicopters depend entirely on that engine to stay in the air. An engine failure often necessitates an emergency landing, with high risks of crashing, especially if the incident occurs at low altitude or in a challenging and rugged environment.

Reliability of Electric Motors

Electric motors are generally mechanically simpler than thermal engines, with fewer moving parts and thus fewer potential points of failure. This simplicity increases the overall reliability of the propulsion system. Thermal engines are more complex, which can lead to a higher failure rate and more intensive maintenance.

eVtols are also equipped with sophisticated management systems that redistribute power among the motors in real-time in the event of a partial failure, thereby ensuring increased stability and safety in flight. The pilot’s action is also reduced, as human error is often the cause of fatal accidents. It will certainly not be easy to immediately trust computers, but their computing power is absolutely astounding these days.

Conclusion

The use of multiple electric motors in eVTOL could reduce the risk of serious or fatal accidents compared to single-engine helicopters or civil aircraft. The redundancy of the motors, combined with the simplicity and reliability of electric motors, provides a higher level of safety in case of failure of certain components. However, as with any aircraft, overall safety also depends on design, maintenance procedures, and pilot training.

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