SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
It's not the first time a Lilium Jet — the company's all-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) device — has taken to the sky but it is the first time the new five seater has taken off and landed, following extensive ground testing. Lilium published a video of a two-seater version's inaugural flight just over two years ago.
The new five-seater is a full-scale, full-weight prototype that is powered by 36 all-electric jet engines to allow it to take-off and land vertically, while achieving "remarkably efficient horizontal or cruise flight," says Lilium
Will the back seat of the air taxi be cleaner than the normal kind?
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
Lilium Unveils Five-Seater Air Taxi Prototype
|
Log In/Create an Account
| Top
| 20 comments
| Search Discussion
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Your lucky number is 3552664958674928. Watch for it everywhere.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 17 2019, @03:28AM
https://transcend.aero/story [transcend.aero]
Looks like a mini-Osprey V-22 for short range executive transport. This one uses an actual jet (combustion) engine to turn the props -- this engine, https://www.pwc.ca/en/products-and-services/products/general-aviation-engines/pt6a [www.pwc.ca] with versions from 500 to 1,900 shaft horsepower...
Their pages note that they looked at a full battery electric, but the 50:1 advantage in energy density between jet fuel and lithium batteries tipped the scales toward a jet turbine, to get a useful city-to-city range. Battery version might be useful for city center to suburban airport, and not much further.
The plane is small enough that they also plan to include a whole-aircraft parachute system. Originally developed for tiny ultralight planes, these are now available on some slightly larger planes and make a novel, relatively untested aircraft design a lot safer.