His company unveiled their electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, also known as a flying car, at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. Chasen said that they will have at least one aircraft as well as a flight simulator at the airport that will be used for multiple phases of flight testing.
That testing and Lift’s presence at the airport is part of a larger effort by the Air Force to aid in the development of that type of technology, making the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport an important location for testing and research.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Lift joins BETA Technologies and Joby Aviation, two pioneer businesses in the field of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, in working with the Air Force as part of a project called Agility Prime.
Chasen said his company has developed a plan for the testing that will range from low altitude flights to flying higher, faster and further as well as deploying a ballistic parachute.
“This is one of the first aircraft in the world of its kind to enter production. There are a handful of companies that are developing different types of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. There are all sorts of stages and configurations,” he said.
Chasen said the aircraft will be simple and small and will conform to the Federal Aviation Administration’s ultralight classification. It also does not require a pilots license to fly.
“This technology works like a drone. You just tell it where to go and the autopilot computer interprets your commands and adjust the RPM of the eclectic motors.”
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