An electric drone you can sit in

Imagine an electric drone mixed with a certain wing aircraft-this is the concept behind a new two-seater aircraft being developed by Skyfly, a start-up company.

The ax promises flexibility of a helicopter but without cost, noise pollution or carbon emissions.

It is a vertical capable aircraft, or electric vertical take-off and EVTOL aircraft, which means it can take off like a helicopter.

It also has two definite wings that allow it to be removed and landed from the runway.

The company claims that the AX has a top speed of 100mph, it can take up to 172 kg – the weight of about two 13.5th adults – and the distance from Oxford to the Isle of White is about 100 miles.

The team located near Banbury in Oxfordshire has taken five years to fix the design.

Skyfly Chief Technical Engineer Dr. “It has got eight motors compared to a traditional aircraft which are very strange,” says Bill Brook.

“And it is a tail-first layout called a canard, so it has got a tail on the front. All ups weigh 750 kg, but 240 kg battery, so all structure is carbon fiber to keep it as light as possible,” Dr. Brooks say.

Safety is also an important part of the design.

Large wings help it glide it in a state of power failure and there are two motors at the end of each wing to compensate for the other if one fails.

It is also equipped with an emergency ballistic parachute to bring down aircraft and passengers safely.

Along with being a safe and cleaner than traditional aircraft, Michael Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Skyfly, says the electric models are quite quite quiet.

“When you are taking off, you are not bothering everyone around you from a noise perspective, so I think the electrical propulsion not only brings environmental benefits, but from the point of view of a sound pollution, this is a huge benefit,” they say.

Other evtols under development want to provide an electric flying-taxi service Bristol-based vertical aerospace (VA) ,

VA, as well as archer and jawobi in the US, are designing electric operated aircraft to carry four passengers.

The ax of Skyfly is comparatively more compact and is targeted in the private market.

The Do-this comes with a price tag of £ 250,000 £ 250,000.

This is aimed at the purpose of existing pilots that want to move away from the diesel piston engine.

Executive Editor of EVTOL Insights Jason Prichared says that there is a possibility of appealing in flying clubs to train new members:

“EVTOL aircraft industry is still in its initial stage with initial operations over a few years, but it also needs to train a large number of pilots in the coming years,” they say.

“Additionally, the design of the AX can also train pilots with skills and control the required to unload an aircraft without electricity, which is an essential tool.”

While the ax can be charged overnight with a traditional three-pin plugs, like EV cars, the electric aircraft will need to scale charging infrastructure.

Aerovolt, located in West Sussex, has rapidly installed chargers at seven UK airports with pipelines and at seven UK airports.

Its founder, Philip Kingsley-Dobson, says the demand is increasing.

“A lot of piston aircraft cannot use the lead fuel in the future, so they are looking for options and methods, we can decree to the lower end of aviation,” they say.

Currently flying in the UK is not allowed.

Skyfly’s ax has successfully completed manned test flights in both Hover and Forward Flight Mode, but still needs to be certified by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

With 40 pre-or-orders from buyers around the world, the company expects to give new models to customers earlier next year.

A CAA spokesperson said: “We are working with innovators so that they can test and fly new forms of aviation, which keep the UK in the state -of -the -art of flight technology and support the region to grow.

“New technology comes with new challenges and security remains our priority in all this work.”