Skyfly has today launched its VRM-2, “the UK’s first fully mobile Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) flight simulator combining virtual reality (VR) with motion cueing,” said the company in a press release.
“Developed in collaboration with aerospace systems and human factors specialists Myriad, VRM-2 is a highly flexible, transportable simulation platform designed to support aircraft development, customer demonstrations, research, and future pilot training,” said Skyfly. “A key feature of the simulator is its hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) integration using the Veronte 4x flight control system used on the production version of the Axe VCA. This allows the simulator to run the same fly-by-wire architecture, control laws, and avionics interfaces as the real aircraft. The system is capable of recreating vertical flight in a fully immersive 360-degree virtual cockpit environment, enhanced by realistic motion and vibration cues. For Skyfly, the simulator represents a significant step forward in refining and demonstrating the Axe VCA.”
“Access to a mobile simulator capable of accurately and realistically recreating the flight profiles of our aircraft is a major benefit for us,” said Michael Thompson, CEO, Skyfly. “Using our Veronte 4x-based hardware-in-the-loop system, we can train customers in a real-world environment using real aircraft hardware. The pilot and instructor know that the response in the simulator, thanks to our validation against the full-scale hardware, is going to be as close as it reasonably can be to real life. This is a very powerful tool to be able to use.”
VRM-2 enables seamless integration between physical pilot controls and virtual displays generated directly from original aircraft CAD data, ensuring high fidelity between simulated and real-world cockpit layouts, said Skyfly. Motion onset cues are provided by electric actuators, while integrated seat shakers deliver vibration cues, further enhancing realism and pilot immersion.
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