The Air One eVTOL just completed its first test flight
Published on Jul 14, 2022 at 12:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Patrick Jackson
Last updated on Jul 14, 2022 at 12:08 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Israeli company Air has revealed footage of its first vehicle, the Air One eVTOL, completing a successful hover test.
There’s a big push towards eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles) for short-distance urban travel.
This successful test flight is another sign that the concept of flying around the city might not be as far-fetched as it seems.
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The successful test flight took place on June 21, but the company is only just sharing the footage now.
A full-scale prototype model was used, weighing in at 868kg (1914lb).
Although it was on a safety tether, it lifted off the ground and remained stable in the air.
It’s still a fair way off being fully flight-tested and certified, but it does make the company’s 2024 target for certification and deliveries seem plausible.
Priced from $150,000, the Air One is a multicopter that seats two under a big panoramic glass roof.
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But with a payload of just 200kg (441lbs), it does limit it to two smaller people if you plan on bringing luggage with you.
Its eight electric motors give it 771hp (575kW).
That’s enough to get it up to speeds of 250km/h (150mph), although its typical cruise speed is 161km/h (100mph).
Its propellors can also be folded in so it can fit in a standard garage.
The company claims it offers range of up to 177km (110 miles) with a maximum flight time of one hour.
The Air One isn’t the only VTOL vehicle we’ve seen being tested with success lately.
SupercarBlondie.com spoke with JetPack Aviation about its Speeder flying motorcycle.
The company told us its jet-powered flying bike was at a similar stage of testing, with Prototype 2.0 also completing tethered hover tests.
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Patrick Jackson
A car zealot from a young age, Patrick has put his childhood spent obsessing over motoring magazines and TV shows to good use over the past six years as a journalist. Fuelled by premium octane coffee, he’s contributed to Finder, DriveTribe, WhichCar, Vehicle History and Drive Section.
