A year ago out of curiosity, Whisper engineers modified one of their decommissioned early generation propulsors with some 3D printed parts into a leaf blower MVP.  The results were astounding and proved that Whisper’s tech could be transformative for commercial, non-aviation products.

‍

Since then, Whisper has taken time to scale down its propulsor tech into a form factor that can be more readily integrated into a leaf blower. The team has also been researching and developing low cost manufacturing techniques that can be applied to its propulsors for production at-scale.

‍

Whisper is not building a leaf blower, but looking to partner with a leading outdoor equipment company to bring a Whisper Drive™ enabled leaf blower product to market. 

‍

The leaf blower market

The leaf blower industry is primed for disruption. As of 2022, 72% of leaf blowers on the market remain gas powered. Only 22% are electric cordless and 6% are electric corded.

‍

In the United States, leaf blower usage is banned or restricted in over 200 localities, including the entire state of CA and major cities like Washington, D.C.

‍

With increasing bans across the country on noisy, gas-powered leaf blowers, the need for a high performing, quiet, and electric alternative has never been greater. Current electric leaf blowers that have been developed until now still wake up neighborhoods and interrupt workplaces.

‍

Whisper drive enabled blowers

Whisper has iterated through multiple generations of leaf blower prototypes for a transformative breakthrough that neighbors will love. Whisper Drive™ enabled leaf blowers can be:

• 40x quieter (16 dBA less) at 50 ft., with
• 40% more airflow than competitors, and
• 40% less energy use than competitors

‍

Whisper has completed extensive comparative testing against handheld, backpack, standing, and professional-grade leaf blowers currently on the market to verify these performance enhancements using the industry ANSI B175.2 standard as well as in-house tests adapted from aerospace.

‍

Aerospace-grade engineering with consumer-friendly affordability is the key to unlocking game-changing innovations, providing our partners with an unmatched advantage over the current leaf blower market. Our propulsors are a testament to our team’s extensive experience working for industry leaders like NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Rolls Royce, Northrop Grumman, Pratt & Whitney, and Joby Aviation.

‍

To achieve affordability, the team has innovated injection molding techniques for 4-5 inch diameter fans with new, low-cost, high performing materials that can be produced at-scale.

‍

The most expensive part of electric leaf blowers is the battery. Whisper’s more efficient Whisper Drive™ allows for competitive performance with longer run times and decreased battery size and weight.

‍

Quiet operation from a Whisper Drive™ enabled leaf blower allows users to ditch bulky hearing protection (exposure limits for professional use: 82 dBA for 16 hr runtime, 100 dBA for 15 minutes), business owners to stay ahead of noise regulations, and communities benefit from reduced noise pollution.

‍

Application to drones and other commercial products

Beyond leaf blowers, our propulsion technology has wide-ranging applications across the outdoor equipment sector, encompassing traditional blowers, industrial fans, dryers, and dust collection systems. The opportunities are expansive.

‍

Ultra-quiet, low-cost air drives are a necessary unlock for commercial drone applications like drone delivery and drone first responder. By solving the leaf blower challenge, Whisper has simultaneously unlocked pathways for these new markets. 

‍

Early analysis using Whisper’s newly developed ultra-quiet, low-cost thrusters shows that drones can achieve 100 mph cruise speeds, with payloads greater than 6 lbs, over 40 miles, and still blend into the soundscapes of urban and suburban communities at 50 ft.