Advanced air mobility (AAM) company AIR announced on Tuesday that its AIR ONE electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype has successfully completed its first series of hover tests. The company reports that the aircraft’s systems functioned as designed and its energy use was as predicted throughout the two weeks of testing. AIR says it plans to expand to full flight envelope testing later this year.
“We’ve been on this upward journey for nearly five years and cannot wait for the public to join us on this ride,” said AIR co-founder and CEO Rani Plaut. “This momentous milestone secures AIR’s spot as a market leader in the personal air mobility space, making the thrill of flight achievable on a daily basis. We look forward to continued growth as we launch into the next phase of development.”
According to Israel-based AIR, its two-seat AIR ONE eVTOL design will have a top speed of 155 MPH and 110-mile range and be capable of carrying a 441-pound payload. The company estimates that the aircraft, which it is marketing to individual owners rather than for commercial air taxi use, will have a 0 to 100 percent charge time of one hour. AIR is aiming to begin AIR ONE deliveries in 2024.