Airbus division A³ by Airbus has successfully flown the prototype of the all electric, self-piloted, Vahana VTOL aircraft.
The test was completed on 31 January at the Pendleton UAS Range in Pendleton, Oregon. Its first flight, with a duration of 53 seconds, was fully self-piloted and reached an altitude of 16 feet. During this time, the aircraft remained in a hover.
“Today we are celebrating a great accomplishment in aerospace innovation,” said 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.”
According to A³ by Airbus, the Vahana project aims to "democratise personal flight and answer the growing need for urban mobility by leveraging the latest technologies in electric propulsion, energy storage, and machine vision."
“Vahana’s first flight demonstrates Airbus’ unique ability to pursue ambitious ideas quickly, without compromising the quality and safety for which the company is well-known." said Rodin Lyasoff, A³ CEO. "For A³, it proves that we can deliver meaningful innovation with aggressive project timetables, to provide a real competitive advantage for Airbus."
A³ will now continue the development program with testing of transitions for the rotors and forward flight.