2026 eVTOL Design Short Course

2026 Short Course on Electric VTOL Design
In-person only | Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 @ 8 am - 5 pm
Instructor: Dr. James Wang

The 8th Annual Short Course on Electric VTOL Design is being held at the Phoenix Convention Center in conjunction with the Transformative Vertical Flight 2026 conference, Jan. 27–29. You can register for this short course with TVF 2026 or as a standalone event. 

Taught by Dr. James Wang, the pioneer in eVTOL, this course provides a comprehensive overview of the unique design challenges and opportunities of this new class of aircraft. Both electric and hybrid-electric passenger-carrying eVTOLs are covered for a variety of missions ranging from urban air taxis, rescue and cargo transport to regional air mobility.

Students gain invaluable insights from an industry expert on the full eVTOL aircraft development lifecycle - from conducting conceptual studies, performing configuration trades, business case preparation, preliminary and detailed design process, partner selection, manufacturing, assembly, ironbird and flight testing, certification, vertiport planning and manufacturing cost estimation.

The course covers eVTOL aerodynamics, rotor design, flight control and explores the latest advancements in key technology areas, including batteries, motors, fuel cells and hybrid systems.

Instructor's Bio:

Dr. James Wang has over 30 years of experience in aerospace and high-tech industries. He is an internationally renowned expert in eVTOL aircraft and Advanced Air Mobility. In 2013, WIRED Magazine named Dr. Wang “The Steve Jobs of Rotorcraft” for his ability to think “outside the box” and pushing the transportation technology boundaries for inventing and designing the AgustaWestland Project Zero, the world’s first all-electric VTOL technology demonstrator aircraft.

Dr. Wang has held many executive leadership roles, notably serving as Vice President of R&D and Senior Vice President of Marketing at Leonardo Helicopters; led Strategic Sales and contributed to the development of numerous famous helicopter designs at Sikorsky Aircraft. He is the founder of Vtolwerke LLC, a consulting firm specializing in advanced air mobility, eVTOL aircraft design and problem-solving, product development strategy, and due diligence. Dr. Wang is currently a full professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where he teaches aircraft and eVTOL design. 

Dr. Wang received his Bachelor’s degrees in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering and in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from M.I.T., and a Master’s and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland.