Startup Demos Vertical-Takeoff Air Taxi

Lilium GmbH has completed an unmanned test flight of the vertical takeoff two-seat plane it hopes to launch as an air taxi by the end of the decade.

The Gilching, Germany-based startup claims the aircraft can fly 186 miles with a top speed of 186 mph. That would make it three times as fast with 10 times the range of more complex quadcopter concepts, according to the company. It also boasts that its all-electric system will be quieter, faster and less expensive than a traditional helicopter.

Lilium’s aircraft is propelled by 36 electric motors mounted to its wings via 12 flaps. The flaps point down at takeoff to provide vertical lift, then gradually tilt horizontally to generate forward thrust. This results in faster and more stable flight than quadcopters, according to the developer.

The motors are powered by several thousand small lithium-ion batteries. Lilium says the configuration consumes half the energy of today’s most efficient electric cars.

To keep weight down, the two-seat prototype model is made of carbon fiber. The plane also is fitted with a parachute.

Lilium envisions the production model, which is expected to seat five people, being used as a flying taxi in crowded cities. The company was formed in 2015 by four former students at the Technical University of Munich, where they specialized in aerospace engineering, aerodynamics and robotics.

Watch a video of the test flight here.