Upwards Aero

Upwards Aero develops personal electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company's flagship product, the Spinner, is a personal electric tiltrotor aircraft that combines vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with fixed-wing flight efficiency. The Spinner features 45 minutes of flight time, a cruising speed of 63 miles per hour, and a maximum altitude of 1,500 feet. The aircraft is equipped with redundant propulsion and flight control systems, and is designed with unpowered gliding capabilities and a backup ballistic parachute. It includes computer stabilization and simple flight controls, making it accessible to users without a pilot's license through a two-day training program covering flight controls, pre-flight inspections, safety procedures, and airspace restrictions.

The company demonstrated its technology capabilities through its first full-scale prototype, the Hexacopter, which was powered by six isolated high-power Li-ion battery packs and propelled by six 47-inch diameter carbon fiber propellers. The structure was constructed using welded aluminum and carbon fiber tubes. The company also developed the Spinner Mini, a sub-scale prototype featuring a 90% 3D printed structure, which was used to validate the Spinner's H frame configuration and develop control logic for flight mode transition.