Ascendance Flight Technologies, a pioneering French start-up dedicated to decarbonizing aviation, announces its presence at the 2023 Paris Air Show, to be held at the Parc des Expositions of Paris-Le Bourget from June 19 to 25 to present its innovations to enable a more sustainable air mobility.
Following a Series A round of 21 million euros in March 2023 with French Tech Souveraineté operated by Bpifrance as part of the France 2030 plan, CELAD, Expansion Aerospace Ventures, SC Mahé, Adrien Montfort (Sorare CTO) via Snaw Ventures and ARIS Occitanie, Ascendance Flight Technologies is accelerating the industrialization and sales of its solutions, its international growth and the increase in its workforce.
Acting for a new kind of sustainable, low-carbon air mobility
Thanks to its dual positioning as both an OEM and a propulsion system supplier, the Toulouse-based start-up, founded in 2018, is using hybrid-electric technologies to support the energy transition trajectory of aviation. Ascendance’s innovative solutions bring reliable, sustainable and realistic technologies to aviation with and near-term timeline that will are applicable to multiple use-cases with an extended range.
ATEA is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL). With a range of 400 km, a cruising speed of over 200 km/h, noise emissions reduced by a factor of four* and up to 80% less CO2* (*compared with a traditional helicopter). ATEA is a low-carbon, silent alternative to helicopters, enabling regional and decentralized aviation, and making previously underserved areas accessible. It is intended for regional use, with four main missions: passenger transport, medical emergencies, logistics and monitoring.
To enable a More Sustainable Aviation, the company is also developing STERNA, a hybrid-electric propulsion system that reduces the fuel consumption and the CO2 emissions by optimizing the entire propulsion system. Its Hybrid Operating System for on-board energy management intelligence, and new aeronautic battery solutions, STERNA will be able to accommodate an optimized engine powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or new hydrogen solutions, thus contributing to the aviation industry’s energy transition. This patented technology is proposed to aircraft and helicopter manufacturers (OEMs1) to decarbonize their next-generation aircraft.
“ATEA’s design reflects our convictions, experience and know-how. The aircraft we’re designing is the result of careful consideration of maintenance costs and ease of operation” says Jean-Christophe Lambert, co-founder and CEO.
Ascendance’s decarbonization solutions enter the industrialization phase
Ascendance Flight Technologies is now entering an intensive prototyping and pre-industrialization phase. Last March, Ascendance Flight Technologies received its industrial pilot site at the Muret-Lherm airfield.
The start-up intends to continue rolling out its roadmap with a target for first flight tests of its prototype set at the second half of 2024 and delivering the first aircraft in the course of 2027. The coming years will therefore see major milestones in its progress on its two development priorities:
- Construction of the first full-scale flying prototype of its ATEA aircraft, and pursuit of the certification process initiated with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
- The execution of its first contracts and partnerships, for the integration of its STERNA solution in existing aircraft.
