BLR Aviation wants to raise funds to develop its flying car prototype – Le Journal des Entreprises

BLR Aviation has entered the flying car race. The company, based in Entraigues-sur-la-Sorgue, in the Vaucluse, aims to manufacture one of the first flying cars that will be homologated in Europe. A project for which the leader Damien Blairon, founder in April 2021 of this SAS with a capital of 1,000 euros, plans to raise ten million euros this year, mainly from private investors.

For now, he has developed a digital model of his flying car. It has been subjected to numerous crash tests with digital tools used in aviation. The fundraising should allow BLR Aviation to set up a first prototype and move towards certification. “We could then sell to very specific, but demanding audiences, such as civil security or firefighters who are looking for solutions for delicate interventions…”

Start with drones

For now, BLR Aviation designs and manufactures drones. An activity that allows him to record a turnover of around 4,000 to 5,000 euros per month. Calling himself a “Geotrouvetou du drone”, Damien Blairon has been working on these flying machines since 2012, even before the creation of BLR Aviation. It has already marketed more than a dozen machines, not only to individuals, but also for very specific applications for companies such as Veolia, Thales or Bouygues. “We specialize in bespoke machinery and many have been sold for use in the nuclear field.” During 2023, BLR Aviation should also launch a new heavy-lift drone, which will be able to carry 150 kilograms of mass in flight.

On the strength of this experience, Damien Blairon, in a way, decided to enlarge the concept to design his flying car. “The first machines, electric helicopters, will be able to fly during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Then, the first certifications will undoubtedly arrive between 2028 and 2030. Nearly 300 companies in the world are working on the subject and we are all in the creation phase to obtain these future approvals”, specifies the founder.

A flying car that must be able to drive on the road

Unlike other flying cars, Damien Blairon chose to design his machine as a mix between a drone and a convertible car. “The idea is to offer total mobility. Our car must therefore be able to fly from one vertiport to another, but it must also be able to drive on a road, in order to access one of these points of take-off. We want to provide this dual mobility, at a reasonable cost for the general public who will be our target when the regulations allow it”. Unlike a helicopter, a drone type vehicle does not need a large space to take off. The BLR Aviation car thus requires only 35 m². It will also work with electric motors, which will reduce maintenance. “Basically, our vehicle is very simple and even simpler than a simple land car.”

The company, which currently has four employees, plans to recruit (up to 25 employees) and move to larger premises after the fundraising.