Elysian Aircraft has completed the conceptual design review of its all-electric E9X, confirming the programme’s technical foundations and moving it into preliminary design as it works toward commercial viability.

The milestone follows several years of research and development and validates the aircraft’s original design principles, while a first test flight of the Scaled Flight Demonstrator has added early physical validation of aerodynamic performance, flight controls and propulsion integration.

The latest iteration incorporates results from system-level studies and ongoing research, shaping both the aircraft and the electrification technologies that underpin it, including potential dual-use applications.

“This second iteration marks the transition from feasibility studies to technology maturation,” says Daniel Rosen Jacobson, co-founder and co-CEO of Elysian Aircraft. “We are not only advancing the E9X programme but also developing the core electrification technologies that support broader aerospace applications.”

Design refinements span distributed electric propulsion, high-voltage systems, wing-integrated batteries and modular battery packs, improving energy architecture and propulsion efficiency while supporting system integration at scale.

“E9X requires a new approach to integrating electric propulsion, energy storage and aircraft systems at scale,” says Rob Wolleswinkel, co-founder and CTO of Elysian Aircraft. “We’re maturing the E9X through targeted demonstrators and system testing, while advancing the enabling technologies.”

A suite of demonstrators is supporting development, including a scaled flight platform for aerodynamic validation, alongside systems focused on battery integration, high-voltage distribution and modular energy storage.