Imagine being approached by an enthusiastic entrepreneur with a childhood dream that seems - lets say - far, far out of your comfort zone.. He says, "I have a vision for a silent, big wheeled aircraft that can take off anywhere, and I have the physical groundwork for that." Your logical mind says, "No way, simply no way!" But your designers heart whispers, "Why not?" This wasn't just another run-of-the-mill start-up idea; it was something extraordinary, something that pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible. Even for experienced developers like us, it seemed daunting. Designers can't compromise with physics. Either it flies or it doesn't. End of story. No Powerpoint or CGI skills will help you 10 feet above the ground.
But curiosity prevailed over doubt, and we decided to meet with a team of aviation experts and electronics specialists woven together by some Porsche Consulting mobility experience who shared our passion for making this one man's dream come true.
After numerous brainstorming sessions and branding exercises, we gave this groundbreaking vision a name and face. Yes, did we mention that we are fast and effective in Naming and Brand Development? We founded Hyven Industries - an aviation startup dedicated to pushing the limits of VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) technology. We envisioned an urban-based VTOL with extended ground capacity, filling the gap we saw in emerging Wingcopter and Lilium's concepts - the limited range of battery-driven flight vehicles in conjunction with the need for space and regulations for new airports in urban centers. This is where our expertise in rotor design came into play - a super silent rotor system that had been described in aviation physics papers long before. By reducing rotor speed significantly, we could achieve near-silent flight, paving the way for flying robot taxis in peaceful urban areas for the very first time. Because let's face it, nobody wants drones buzzing around at 5 o'clock in the morning like oversized vacuum cleaners! Would this unorthodox concept of counter-rotating wings actually work with passenger load? We didn't know yet, but early experiments were promising.
With M1:10 design models and a full-sized 4 passenger sitting mockup under our belt, we were ready to take the next big leap. A prototype was planned to be built at the Hünxe Airport facility under supervision of an RedBull AirShow prototype airplane builder. However, security concerns led us to take a cautious approach and start with 3D printed M1:4 drone models for take off drills first, ensuring we tested the flight capabilities without risking too much. Remember how Lilienthal ended? It was a wise decision.
Just as things were progressing, the world situation in eastern Europe took a turn for the worse. Suddenly, our drone-making abilities attracted attention from unexpected sources. The Turkish Ministry of Agricultural Development approached us with an offer and pay check for 500 silent drones, making us pause and think - twice. Hyven went into "dark mode" and we as Tom Ayton, we decided to step back from it all. Perhaps today, we would think different and use our expertise for the good side. We simply do not know. But we still wish that ambitious young guy who once dreamt of creating a single-wheeled flying car, like Daniel Düsentrieb - his role model, all the fortune, all the luck, all the best. Someday, Hyven will break through the clouds. We are sure.
A good idea is never beyond imagination.
