Airbus Vahana eVTOL aircraft completes first test flight
Its first flight, with a duration of 53 seconds, was fully self-piloted and the vehicle completed a second flight the following day.
Vahana, the all electric, self-piloted, VTOL aircraft from A³ by Airbus, announced the successful completion of its first full-scale flight test, reaching a height of 5 meters (16 feet) before descending safely. The test was completed on Jan. 31, 2018 at the Pendleton UAS Range in Pendleton, Oregon. Its first flight, with a duration of 53 seconds, was fully self-piloted and the vehicle completed a second flight the following day.
“Today we are celebrating a great accomplishment in aerospace innovation,” says Zach Lovering, project executive of Vahana. “In just under two years, Vahana took a concept sketch on a napkin and built a full-scale, self-piloted aircraft that has successfully completed its first flight. Our team is grateful for the support we’ve received from A³ and the extended Airbus family, as well as our partners including MTSI and the Pendleton UAS Range.”
Vahana is a project developed at A³, the Silicon Valley outpost of Airbus. Vahana aims to democratize personal flight and answer the growing need for urban mobility by leveraging the latest technologies in electric propulsion, energy storage, and machine vision.
Vahana leverages its self-piloted capabilities to operate without a passenger. Following these successful hover flights, the team will turn to additional testing, including transitions and forward flight.
Related Content
-
Forvia brand Faurecia exhibits XL CGH2 tank, cryogenic LH2 storage solution for heavy-duty trucks
Part of its full hydrogen solutions portfolio at IAA Transportation 2022, Faurecia also highlighted sustainable thermoplastic tanks and smart tanks for better safety via structural integrity monitoring.
-
Paris Air Show 2023 highlights
The Paris Air Show, one of the largest aerospace trade shows in the world, returned for the first time since 2019 and proved that the global aviation industry industry is very much alive and kicking.
-
Composites end markets: Pressure vessels (2024)
The market for pressure vessels used to store zero-emission fuels is rapidly growing, with ongoing developments and commercialization of Type 3, 4 and 5 tanks.