Click for more information.
AutoFlight,* an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing firm, today in Germany announced it had achieved the world’s longest eVTOL flight in history with distance of 250KM / 155 miles on a single charge of the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries. The previous longest flight for an eVTOL is thought to be 248KM set by Joby Aviation in 2021.
This flight is both a great celebratory milestone, and a testament to the team’s incredible effort and progress in testing and incrementally pushing the aircraft’s performance envelope. It’s a remarkable achievement that shows our aircraft’s capability, and we are excited to continue working towards our next goals all the way to EASA certification in 2025,” said AutoFlight’s president Omer Bar-Yohay.
The flight, which took place at AutoFlight’s eVTOL testing facility on 23 February, consisted of 20 circuits on a predefined flight track, with the plane remotely piloted from the ground by AutoFlight’s Flight Test team. Although AutoFlight’s Gen4 aircraft is fitted with the latest in state-of-the-art avionics, the aircraft also ran third-party avionics (Stratus ADS-B) to record and verify the distance flown on ForeFlight, an independent system widely used in the aviation sector.
The flight is recognized as the longest fully electric aircraft flight in history, where the aircraft both takes off and lands vertically. This long-range test flight is a key milestone in the development of the so-called Prosperity I aircraft, as it undergoes continued testing towards the company’s goal of airworthiness certification in 2025 with EASA – the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Watch Video on YouTube
The aircraft used in the record flight is the global debut of AutoFlight’s newest Generation 4 model, which was designed by Frank Stephenson.** Frank’s vehicle portfolio includes successes from brands including Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and MINI.
*AutoFlight
AutoFlight is a global high-tech startup dedicated to developing and manufacturing electric aerial vehicles to provide logistics systems and urban air mobility solutions for people. AutoFlight uses its experience with artificial intelligence, 5G, breakthrough materials, and advanced manufacturing in the drone market in the nascent eVTOL industry. The company has a diversified eVTOL product mix, focusing on large-scale logistics aircraft and passenger aerial vehicles. AutoFlight is backed by European tech holding company Team Global.
**Frank Stephenson
Frank is the founder of Frank Stephenson Design, which is a leading design studio, with world class talent, based in London, UK. The design house applies design expertise across a broad industry remit, from shaping the future of mobility, to innovative new products.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
AutoFlight Claims World’s longest eVTOL flight of 155 Miles
Click for more information.
AutoFlight,* an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing firm, today in Germany announced it had achieved the world’s longest eVTOL flight in history with distance of 250KM / 155 miles on a single charge of the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries. The previous longest flight for an eVTOL is thought to be 248KM set by Joby Aviation in 2021.
This flight is both a great celebratory milestone, and a testament to the team’s incredible effort and progress in testing and incrementally pushing the aircraft’s performance envelope. It’s a remarkable achievement that shows our aircraft’s capability, and we are excited to continue working towards our next goals all the way to EASA certification in 2025,” said AutoFlight’s president Omer Bar-Yohay.
The flight, which took place at AutoFlight’s eVTOL testing facility on 23 February, consisted of 20 circuits on a predefined flight track, with the plane remotely piloted from the ground by AutoFlight’s Flight Test team. Although AutoFlight’s Gen4 aircraft is fitted with the latest in state-of-the-art avionics, the aircraft also ran third-party avionics (Stratus ADS-B) to record and verify the distance flown on ForeFlight, an independent system widely used in the aviation sector.
The flight is recognized as the longest fully electric aircraft flight in history, where the aircraft both takes off and lands vertically. This long-range test flight is a key milestone in the development of the so-called Prosperity I aircraft, as it undergoes continued testing towards the company’s goal of airworthiness certification in 2025 with EASA – the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Watch Video on YouTube
The aircraft used in the record flight is the global debut of AutoFlight’s newest Generation 4 model, which was designed by Frank Stephenson.** Frank’s vehicle portfolio includes successes from brands including Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and MINI.
*AutoFlight
AutoFlight is a global high-tech startup dedicated to developing and manufacturing electric aerial vehicles to provide logistics systems and urban air mobility solutions for people. AutoFlight uses its experience with artificial intelligence, 5G, breakthrough materials, and advanced manufacturing in the drone market in the nascent eVTOL industry. The company has a diversified eVTOL product mix, focusing on large-scale logistics aircraft and passenger aerial vehicles. AutoFlight is backed by European tech holding company Team Global.
**Frank Stephenson
Frank is the founder of Frank Stephenson Design, which is a leading design studio, with world class talent, based in London, UK. The design house applies design expertise across a broad industry remit, from shaping the future of mobility, to innovative new products.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.