Scylax E10
A German 10-seat all-electric STOL utility aircraft project.
Last updated
The Scylax E10 is a ten-seat, all-electric aircraft under development by the German startup Scylax Aircraft. The design uses a composite structure and is built for short take-off and landing.
It is powered by two electric motors and four 60 kWh battery packs, with an initial range of 160 nautical miles (300 km). The 260 kW motors enable a cruising speed of 300 km/h, and the aircraft is intended to operate from runways as short as 300 meters. Priced at €2 million, it targets replacing utility aircraft like the Cessna 402, Cessna 208 Caravan, Beechcraft King Air, and Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander for uses such as air taxi, air ambulance, cargo, corporate travel, scheduled passenger flights, and private ownership.
Scylax Aircraft is based in Munich and was formed by Elektra Solar, a developer of solar-powered light aircraft, and EADCO, an aerospace engineering services provider. Elektra Solar, formerly known as PC-Aero and Elektra-UAS and spun off from the DLR German Aerospace Center, builds solar-powered high-altitude aircraft, including the single-seat, unmanned or optionally piloted Elektra One and the two-seat Elektra Two. EADCO is an engineering consultancy that provides research and development support from concept through certification for clients such as Airbus, ArianeGroup, Grob Aerospace, Premium Aerotec, RUAG, and SABCA. Regional operator FLN Frisia Luftverkehr holds a stake in the project and aims to replace its fleet of nine Islanders.
As of October 2019, the project was privately funded, with a design freeze expected soon. The company is seeking additional investors to build and fly the first prototype in 2022, requiring €7 million—half from private investors and half from German government green funding initiatives. An additional €70 million will be needed for CS-23 certification by 2027, by which time battery technology is expected to advance enough to achieve a 600 km range.
Lore & Background
Scylax Aircraft is based in Munich and was formed by Elektra Solar, a developer of solar-powered light aircraft, and EADCO, an aerospace engineering consultancy. Elektra Solar, formerly known as PC-Aero and Elektra-UAS, originated as a spinoff from the DLR German Aerospace Center and manufactures solar-powered high-altitude aircraft including the single-seat, unmanned or optionally piloted Elektra One and the two-seat Elektra Two. EADCO provides research and development support from conceptual phases through certification for clients such as Airbus, ArianeGroup, Grob Aerospace, Premium Aerotec, RUAG, and SABCA.
Regional operator FLN Frisia Luftverkehr holds a share in the project and aims to replace its nine-strong fleet of Britten-Norman Islanders with the E10. By October 2019, the project was privately funded until a design freeze expected in the near future. Additional investors were being sought to build and fly the first prototype in 2022 for €7 million, half from private investors and half through German government green funding initiatives. A further €70 million was projected to be needed for CS-23 certification in 2027, by which time battery technology was expected to be more advanced, enabling a 600 km range.
Reader's Guide
The Scylax E10 represents an attempt to electrify a well-established segment of utility aviation, targeting aircraft types that have served for decades in short-haul passenger, cargo, and special missions. Its all-composite, short take-off and landing design with two electric motors and four 60 kWh battery packs aims to provide a 160 nmi range initially, with a cruise speed of 300 km/h and the ability to operate from 300 m runways. The involvement of FLN Frisia Luftverkehr as a shareholder gives the project a concrete operator perspective, as the airline intends to replace its nine Islanders with the E10.
The development path outlined—private funding through design freeze, then a mix of private and government funding for a prototype in 2022, followed by a larger certification investment in 2027—reflects the capital-intensive nature of bringing a new electric aircraft to market. The project's reliance on anticipated improvements in battery technology to double its range to 600 km by certification highlights a key uncertainty common to electric aviation ventures. The E10's significance lies in its ambition to directly replace iconic piston and turboprop utility aircraft with a zero-emission alternative, though its ultimate legacy depends on securing the substantial funding required and achieving certification within the projected timeline.
More in Electric and VTOL Aircraft
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Scylax E10 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced