Autoflight has broken Joby’s world record for the longest eVTOL flight. The company’s latest aircraft, the Gen-4 Prosperity I eVTOL air taxi prototype, flew 250.64 km (155.74 miles) on a single charge, beating Joby’s record by a mile. The achievement serves to cement Autoflight’s position as a legitimate contender in the emerging eVTOL market.
The Prosperity I eVTOL air taxi prototype, which is styled by auto-design guru Frank Stephenson, uses significantly thicker wings and four propulsion rails, housing eight lift propellers. It also features a rail-mounted pusher and another pusher on the back of the cabin, making it a five-seater. The lift-and-cruise design sacrifices some efficiency in the name of simplicity, but the company claims that the aircraft has a range of 150-plus miles (241+ km).
Autoflight President Omer Bar-Yohay said in a press release, “This flight is both a great celebratory milestone and a testament to the team’s incredible effort and progress in testing and incrementally pushing the aircraft’s performance envelope. It’s a remarkable achievement that shows our aircraft’s capability, and we are excited to continue working towards our next goals all the way to EASA certification in 2025.”
While the achievement is significant, it’s worth noting that the record was set without the dead weight of passengers in the aircraft. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent validation of Autoflight’s range claims and underscores the company’s technological capabilities.
It’s also worth noting that Autoflight concerned itself mainly with drones until 2020, while Joby Aviation was founded back in 2009. The fact that Autoflight was able to break Joby’s record is a testament to the company’s rapid progress in the eVTOL space.
The emerging eVTOL market is highly competitive, with several companies vying for a slice of the pie. Autoflight is currently sitting at #16 on SMG Consulting’s latest Advanced Air Mobility Reality Index, with Joby in the top spot, and Volocopter and Lilium, both of which are headquartered fairly close to Autoflight’s European office in Germany, sitting at #2 and #13, respectively.
It’s likely that the competition in the eVTOL market will continue to heat up, with companies racing to develop more efficient and cost-effective aircraft. Autoflight’s achievement underscores the fact that the eVTOL market is rapidly evolving, and there’s plenty of room for innovation and growth.
In conclusion, Autoflight’s world record-breaking flight is a remarkable achievement that serves to validate the company’s technological capabilities. While the eVTOL market is highly competitive, Autoflight’s progress in the space is impressive, and it’s clear that the company is a legitimate contender. As the eVTOL market continues to evolve, it’s likely that we’ll see more breakthroughs and achievements from companies like Autoflight, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the emerging market.
Check out the video below showing the world record flight.
Source: Autoflight
