Aska A5 prototype achieves tethered unmanned flight testing

As of early July, Aska (Mountain View, Calif., U.S.), developer of the Aska A5 roadable electric-hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, is successfully progressing through its tethered unmanned flight tests with the full-scale prototype.

The tethered unmanned flights took place in a private airfield located in California. Since the renewal of Aska’s special airworthiness certificate this past July, A5 performed the unmanned tethered flights at a low altitude while loosely tethered to the ground. During the flights, Aska engineers measured flight and system parameters to verify thrust, flight control, electric and thermal system performance, to include vibration and temperature parameters. The ongoing flight testing has also enabled the company to perform extensive fine tuning of the flight control systems to improve maneuverability and stability while minimizing the influence of ground effects. To date, Aska has conducted more than 350 successful tethered flight tests.

The A5 prototype received its initial special airworthiness certification in July 2023. Under its current special airworthiness certificate and its certificate of waiver or authorization (COA), the A5 will fly untethered up to 200 feet above ground level (AGL), and will be capable of performing VTOLs and hovering. The completion of these flights will be Stage 1. Conventional flight, and transitioning from vertical to horizontal flight, will follow after its completion.

In addition to flight testing, the Aska A5 prototype has successfully completed more than 500 miles of road testing and “drive to flight” transition testing while on the ground.

The four-seat Aska A5 makes maximum use of existing infrastructure, such as charging stations, airfields, helipads and runways, and can operate with today’s infrastructure. The A5 also offers the “first and last mile transportation,” enabling it to integrate into existing air and ground infrastructure.