how would you define the success of lilium's vertical take-off and landing capability?

Introduction

Defining the success of Lilium's vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability is crucial for evaluating this groundbreaking technology in urban air mobility. To approach this product success metric problem effectively, I'll follow a structured framework covering core metrics, supporting indicators, and risk factors while considering all key stakeholders.

Step 1

Product Context

Lilium's VTOL capability is a core feature of their electric jet, enabling urban air mobility solutions. This technology allows the aircraft to take off and land vertically like a helicopter, then transition to horizontal flight like a plane.

Key stakeholders include:

• Passengers: Seeking fast, convenient urban transportation
• Pilots: Require safe, reliable aircraft operation
• Regulators: Ensure safety and compliance with aviation standards
• Investors: Looking for commercial viability and market potential
• Urban planners: Interested in integration with existing infrastructure

User flow:

1. Booking: Passengers reserve a flight through an app
2. Boarding: Passengers board at designated vertiports
3. Take-off: Vertical lift-off from compact landing pads
4. Transition: Aircraft shifts to horizontal flight for efficient cruising
5. Landing: Vertical descent at the destination vertiport

Lilium's VTOL capability is central to their strategy of revolutionizing short to medium-distance travel, reducing congestion and emissions in urban areas.

Competitors like Joby Aviation and Volocopter are also developing VTOL aircraft, but Lilium's design uses ducted electric vectored thrust, potentially offering advantages in range and noise reduction.

Product Lifecycle Stage: Early stage/Pre-commercial. Lilium is currently in the testing and certification phase, working towards commercial operations.

Hardware considerations:

• Manufacturing scalability for complex propulsion systems
• Battery technology advancements for improved range and performance
• Maintenance infrastructure for novel aircraft design