JAKARTA - An Israeli-made electric vehicle designed for commuter flights on a short journey, well above a crowded road with cars, has made its maiden unmanned flight. This is a milestone that developers say will help it reach the market in the next two years.
The test phase cruise may not look amazing at first given the enormous progress made in drone technology. Other propellered aircraft rose vertically from the ground and then shot forward high in the sky.
But this one, being developed by Israeli startup AIR, is a plane that will be able to carry two people - operators and passengers - 100 miles by a single charge. AIR, and many competitors around the world believe that this kind of journey will eventually become commonplace.
"This is an important milestone," said CEO and co-founder Rani Palaut, as quoted by Reuters. "We have switched today to a forward flight that brings (closer) our dream of mass production of AIR ONE."
There are still many significant obstacles that must be overcome before humans can fly alone across the city in small vehicles like this, including making regulations and commercializing the technology.
The next phase of AIR testing is with someone on board, said Plaut.
He hopes this electric plane can take off and land vertically, or eVTOL. The aircraft is expected to enter the market by the end of 2024 at a base price of 150,000 US dollars (Rp2.3 billion). The average speed of this aircraft is about 100 mph (160 kph) at an altitude of 1,200 feet (366 m), said Palaut.
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