Bertone Designs Project Zero Electric Tilt-Rotor Aircraft

Stile Bertone in partnership with Agusta Westland have developed a hybrid tilt-rotor/fan-in-wing technology demonstrator aircraft

The “Project Zero” program was announced at the Helicopter Association International (HAI) Heli-Expo on March 4, 2013 and the aircraft was presented yesterday (June 17th) at the Paris Air Show in Bourget.

Developed by Agusta Westland and designed by Stile Bertone, Project Zero is a futuristic vertical take-off, eco-friendly aircraft that explores new possibilities for the aircraft industry of the future.

The main structure is based on a single large wing which integrates the small one-seater cockpit and two electrically-powered rotors which enable the “Project Zero” to take off like a helicopter.

After the take-off, the rotors can rotate 90 degrees around their horizontal axis, turning the vehicle into a conventional plane with two propellers at the rear.

Bertone design director Mike Robinson explained: “Project Zero exactly embodies our philosophy, i.e.: anything that can be dreamed can also be built . In this case, after an extensive research together with Agusta Westland on design and engineering, we decided the final configuration of the vehicle. The aluminum structure and the moulds for the outer skin panels were built by Bertone, which then assembled and painted the entire whole prototype, which was later sent over to Agusta Westland for final assembly of the electronics gear and rotors.”

(Source: Bertone, Agusta Westland)