Flying Vehicle Takes First Piloted Test Flight

Electric aerial vehicle (EAV) startup Skyfly has conducted its first crewed test flight after receiving authority from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the U.K.

Skyfly was given permission in June to test fly its Axe eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle following 200 tests conducted to tune the vehicle’s flight controller. 

Skyfly CEO Michael Thompson was the first test pilot.

The CAA licensing department inspected the prototype and control systems as part of the approval process, according to Skyfly.

Credit: Skyfly

“After years of development, it was amazing to finally get in the aircraft and fly it,” said Thompson. “A manned eVTOL aircraft that can transition to forward flight is not covered by current licensing regulations. The CAA team have been very proactive in working to find a way forward and issue an exemption permitting licensed test flights. Once the licensing issue was resolved, approval, under e-conditions (experimental conditions), was quickly given.”

The Axe is a two-seat eVTOL with eight electric motors.

The flying vehicle contains a ballistic parachute system that can be activated by a lever in the cockpit to launch a rocket carrying the parachute out of the vehicle, capable of landing it with two passengers and luggage, according to the company.

Related:Flying Vehicle Introduced; Designed for a 2-Car Garage

Unlike some air taxis in development, the Axe does not have rotating engines or wings.

The Axe is priced at $180.000, has a charge time of fewer than four hours and a range of 100 miles, according to the company.

For the vehicle to be flown in the U.S., Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules would require the vehicle to be flown by a licensed pilot.

Similar flying vehicles are under development, such as the Doroni H1 in Florida and the Air EV Air One in Israel.