Why Soarion
Rethinking the VTOL Tradeoff
Conventional vertical takeoff and landing aircraft often sacrifice range, payload, structural efficiency, or mechanical simplicity to achieve vertical flight.
Soarion™ is being developed to challenge that tradeoff.
Our Stacked Centrifugal-Axial Propulsor, or SCAP, architecture combines embedded axial lift fans with an integrated centrifugal fans forward-thrust system. Each SCAP will be designed as a standalone Distributed Propulsion Unit (DPU) package that will be easy to maintain and replace. By locating the propulsion system within the wing, Soarion™ is designed to reduce exposed hardware, simplify the aircraft configuration, and preserve the aerodynamic advantages of fixed-wing flight.
An innovative 
embedded-propulsion
drone built for versatile 
ISR missions 
and maximum endurance
Product Development Status
An Active Flight-Research Program
Soarion™ is currently an experimental aircraft under development.
Specifications, configuration, payload capability, endurance, and performance targets will continue to evolve as the team completes design reviews, prototype fabrication, propulsion testing, and flight verification.
Website visitors should be encouraged to follow the program through:
• Development photographs
• Engineering updates
• Ground-test results
• Flight-test videos
• Competition milestones
• Technical publications
• Partnership announcements
Engineering a New Class of Aircraft
Soarion™ is being developed by the Onopa Aero, a division of Onopa Services, LLC and led by R. David Bermudez, PE.
The team combines aircraft design, mechanical & electrical engineering, electric propulsion, flight-control integration, prototyping, and unmanned-aircraft operations.
Our development philosophy is straightforward:
Build
Test
Learn
Improve
Each stage of the Soarion™ program is designed to convert an ambitious aircraft concept into measurable engineering results through analysis, ground testing, hover testing, transition testing, and stable-flight demonstration.
Next-Generation Embedded eVTOL Propulsion
Features & Technology Behind Soarion
Stacked Centrifugal-Axial Propulsion
The architecture is embedded within the aircraft wing rather than suspended externally.
Vertical Lift
Forward Flight
Embedded Propulsion
Fixed-Wing Efficiency
Advanced Materials and Controls
Modular Design
Designed Around Eight Operational Advantages
01
Extended
Range
Fixed-wing lift and dedicated cruise propulsion are intended to reduce the energy required during forward flight.
02
Safe
Operation
Embedded propulsion helps isolate rotating components from personnel, payloads, and surrounding objects.
03
Slim
Profile
Internal ducts and a clean external configuration offer a foundation for reduced visual, acoustic, and radar signatures.
04
Flight
Stability
Distributed propulsion and active flight controls provide multiple opportunities for managing hover, transition, and forward-flight stability.
05
Sustainable
Operation
The wing architecture can support future integration of lightweight photovoltaic materials and advanced energy systems.
06
QUIETER
FLIGHT
Ducted, embedded propulsion provides an opportunity to reduce the acoustic signature associated with exposed propellers.
07
Swappable
Payloads
A modular aircraft configuration is intended to support different defense, public-safety, research, and commercial missions.
08
Scalable
Architecture
The propulsion concept is being developed as an architecture that can be adapted across multiple aircraft sizes and mission classes.
Patented Technology
Protected Fan-in-Wing Innovation
Soarion™ incorporates technology associated with U.S. Patent No. 12,291,329.
The patented fan-in-wing concept integrates propulsion components into the aircraft wing to provide combined thrust and vertical-lift capabilities.
Unlike conventional multirotor aircraft, which rely on several exposed propellers for all phases of flight, the Soarion™ architecture separates vertical-lift and cruise functions while integrating both into a fixed-wing configuration.
The patented architecture provides the foundation for ongoing development in:
Embedded axial lift systems
Integrated forward-thrust generation
Propulsion-system weight reduction
Improved payload fraction
Reduced external drag
Safer ground handling
Lower aircraft signature
Scalable electric VTOL configurations
Legal Disclaimer:
Patent references describe protected technical concepts and do not constitute a guarantee of final aircraft performance. Product configuration and specifications may change during development and testing.
Intended Applications
The Soarion™ architecture is being evaluated for missions including:
Defense and Security
- Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
- Communications relay
- Electronic-support payloads
- Contested-environment operations
- Shipboard and expeditionary missions
Public Safety
- Search and rescue
- Disaster assessment
- Emergency communications
- Wildfire and environmental monitoring
Infrastructure and Industry
- Pipeline and powerline inspection
- Remote-site monitoring
- Survey and mapping
- Agricultural observation
- Environmental data collection
The modular design is intended to allow the aircraft to support different payloads without requiring a completely new airframe for every mission.
