Electric aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing - eVTOL are, according to their designers, the ideal solution for the transport of the future. These machines on the border of drones and helicopters have been introduced by several companies and creators, but none of these projects has yet left the concept stage. The first of these machines from Joby Aviation's workshop is now entering an official testing program supported by NASA.
NASA, which deals not only with space but also with aviation in general, is running the National Advanced Air Mobility Campaign. Flight tests are a very expensive and generally demanding phase of development. NASA hopes that their support will help move the new phase of passenger air travel. According to an official press release, NASA's goal is to increase airspace mobility and help integrate air taxis, drones and other newly developed means of transport into the national airspace.
Joby Aviation, a California airline, aims to launch an air taxi service in 2024 but must meet Federal Air Administration (FAA) requirements. These tests, supported by NASA, are a step towards the goal in this direction. The Joby Aviation machine is equipped with six rotors, it can fly at speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour and fly a distance of more than 200 kilometres on a single charge. Six electric motors allow silky smooth operation without emissions. Vertical takeoff and landing. EVTOL can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and travel more than 250 miles. The aircraft can carry one pilot and up to four passengers. Joby Aviation is advertised as Uber of the Air. The crew consists of one pilot and up to four passengers. Joby Aviation officially declares itself to be an Uber airspace. Its goal is to allow customers to order transportation services using the application at prices that will be comparable to transportation by land taxis.
During the initial flight tests, NASA monitored the aircraft's performance, collected acoustic data and control responses. An acoustic profile is important for possible movement in the city, which determines the noise level of the aircraft in the individual phases of flight. Up to 50 microphones will be involved in measuring this data.
The tests are intended to reveal potential gaps or deficiencies in the concept and also to provide data for future models and simulations of advanced flight concepts. Finally, NASA and its partners meet regulatory requirements and wish to include the aircraft in the FAA National Airspace System. If all goes well, these developmental flight tests will be followed by the first tests of the NC-1 campaign, which are due to begin next year. These tests include more complex flight scenarios for eVTOL.
Tell us what you think about the first electric taxi in the comments. Would you like an electric air taxi? We are grateful for all the ideas.