Product
ATEA Hybrid Electric VTOL
Innovation
The first aircraft powered by our STERNA Hybrid Pack, for passenger transport, medical and cargo.
Learn more
(Our offer)
The first aircraft powered by our STERNA Hybrid Pack
ATEA is a VTOL aircraft aiming at being a low noise, low carbon alternative to helicopters, as well as enabling a brand new regional, decentralized and efficient aviation where no other transportation solution is satisfactory
Our aircraft is performant and versatile. You can use it to replace your existing fleet with major savings in fuel consumption, operating costs and CO2 emissions.
Net range
Reserve flight
Net range
Reserve flight
(atea’s range of action)
400 KM
(350 km net range + 30 min Reserve flight)
(number of operator + passengers)
1+4
(how atea can shape the future of aviation)
Surveillance missions, cargo transportation, emergency medical transport, link to remote places and islands...
Aicraft DNA to improve tomorrow
Atea’s airplane aeroshape allows a greater performance in forward flight, reassures passengers and increases the overall safety levels.
(our Expertise)
Hybrid electric pioneers since the start, in 2018.
Built on true aircraft maker heritage
Hybrid Architecture Expertise
Optimized weight, seamless fit
(Our technology)
Hybrid electric propulsion
system
A modular and scalable combination of two sources of energy (fuel + battery).
A hybrid-electric aircraft is using a mix of 2 energy sources: electric batteries, used during Take-Off and Climb, to benefit from instantaneous release of high power and optimized engines that can run on Jet-A1, Sustainable Aviation Fuel or Hydrogen tomorrow, for the low energy demanding flight phases such as the cruise.
Atea uses Sterna, our hybrid-electric propulsion system that combines two different energy sources:
The electric battery is mainly used for short, high-power phases such as take-off and landing.
The fuel can be conventional Jet-A1, sustainable aviation fuel and, later, hydrogen, used for cruise flights.
Atea takes off vertically in electric mode using the 8 rotors that are embedded in the wings.
Once at the appropriate altitude, the front and rear propellers - located respectively in the nose and the Vertical Tail Plane of the aircraft - are turned on to provide the aircraft with horizontal thrust.
Atea does not have any titling rotors to avoid maintenance issues and ease certification.
Atea is a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle.
It can be recharged either on the ground(to minimize the environmental footprint)
or in the air (to maximize versatility and be capable of operating from landing sites not equipped with a charging station).
Where innovation
takes flight
(Applications)
Fit every customer needs
Hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft to cover your missions applications with regional range and maximum productivity
Economics
Up to -80% fuel burn and -50% direct operating costs vs. helicopter
Productivity
Ability to maintain operational revenues thanks to 15-min turnaround time
Applications
Multi-mission configuration (pax transport, freight/cargo, EMS/Medevac)
Range
Up to 900 km (with 2 pax) and 400 km (with 4 pax)
Silent
Up to -75% noise emissions vs. helicopter + reduction of thermal signature
Infrastructure-agnostic
Ability to use heliports, airports or vertiports thanks to VTOL capability
Sustainable
Up to -80% CO2 emissions vs. helicopter
Hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft to cover your missions applications with regional range and maximum productivity
Economics
Up to -80% fuel burn and -50% direct operating costs vs. helicopter
Productivity
Ability to maintain operational revenues thanks to 15-min turnaround time
Applications
Multi-mission configuration (pax transport, freight/cargo, EMS/Medevac)
Range
Up to 900 km (with 2 pax) and 400 km (with 4 pax)
Silent
Up to -75% noise emissions vs. helicopter + reduction of thermal signature
Infrastructure-agnostic
Ability to use heliports, airports or vertiports thanks to VTOL capability
Sustainable
Up to -80% CO2 emissions vs. helicopter
Hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft to cover your missions applications with regional range and maximum productivity
Economics
Up to -80% fuel burn and -50% direct operating costs vs. helicopter
Productivity
Ability to maintain operational revenues thanks to 15-min turnaround time
Applications
Multi-mission configuration (pax transport, freight/cargo, EMS/Medevac)
Range
Up to 900 km (with 2 pax) and 400 km (with 4 pax)
Silent
Up to -75% noise emissions vs. helicopter + reduction of thermal signature
Infrastructure-agnostic
Ability to use heliports, airports or vertiports thanks to VTOL capability
Sustainable
Up to -80% CO2 emissions vs. helicopter
Hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft to cover your missions applications with regional range and maximum productivity
Economics
Up to -80% fuel burn and -50% direct operating costs vs. helicopter
Productivity
Ability to maintain operational revenues thanks to 15-min turnaround time
Applications
Multi-mission configuration (pax transport, freight/cargo, EMS/Medevac)
Range
Up to 900 km (with 2 pax) and 400 km (with 4 pax)
Silent
Up to -75% noise emissions vs. helicopter + reduction of thermal signature
Infrastructure-agnostic
Ability to use heliports, airports or vertiports thanks to VTOL capability
Sustainable
Up to -80% CO2 emissions vs. helicopter
First Designs for Atea Hybrid-Electric Right From The Start and First Flight of a Subscale Proof of Concept
Extensive Performance and Simulation Studies to Define Aircraft Performance
Third Subscale Flying Prototype to Characterize Flight Behaviour and Derisk Transition
Wind Tunnel Test Campaign - Major Step in the Design - to Assess Aerodynamic Characteristics with a Focus on our Unique Technology: the Fan-in-Wing
Second Wind Tunnel Test Campaign - Dynamic - to Further Refine Aerodynamic Behaviour
Start of the Life Size Tests on the Fan-in-Wing Technology
Started out in 2021, our Hybrid-Electric Real Size Test Bench - the Iron Bird - is Fully Equipped with the Final Components that will be Onboard our Flying Aircraft Completely Derisking the Hybrid-Electric Technology
Production of the Composite Airframe and Start of the Assembly of the Life Size Flying Prototype
First Flight of Atea Flying Prototype Powered by our Hybrid-Electric Sterna Hybrid Pack
(our clients)
They chose our products
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Company
Jean-Baptiste Djebbari Joins Ascendance’s Strategic Committee
Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, former Minister of Transport, is joining our strategic committee
Technical progress
On the route to permit to fly
Ascendance was welcoming EASA for the 3rd time this year
Company
Ascendance has been ranked in the Top 100 of TIME's World’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2025!
Proud to be recognized among the world's top greentech companies! 🌍🌱
You have some questions?
We have answers
We are hybrid-electric, not full-electric, meaning we have a better range (up to 400 km with full payload, and more than 800 km with 1pilot + 2 passengers). We don’t need to recharge the battery between each flight, thanks to our in-flight charging capability, thus resulting in a 15 min turnaround time to maximize the productivity of your operations throughout the day.
Passenger transportation (both in sightseeing / economy or business / executive configurations), cargo / logistics, medical emergency services and surveillance.
We can operate Atea on already existing infrastructure: both airports and heliports, thanks to our double VTOL and CTOL capabilities. Plus, our in-flight charging capability does not require heavy infrastructure projects or large ground charging stations.
We target the certification of Atea in 2029, and subsequent entry into service. We have already flown several subscale prototypes, and target to have the first manned flight of our lifesize, 1:1 prototype over the next months (currently under final assembly).