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The
test-phase voyage may not look out of the ordinary at first
given the huge progress made in drone technology. Another
propellered aircraft rising vertically off the ground and then
thrusting forward high in the sky.
But this one, being developed by Israeli startup AIR, will be
able to carry two people - an operator and passenger - as far as
100 miles on a single charge, the company says. AIR, and many
competitors around the world, are betting this kind of travel
will eventually become commonplace.
"This is a major milestone," said CEO and co-founder Rani Plaut.
"We have transitioned today to forward flight ... bringing
(closer) our dream of mass production of the AIR ONE."
There are still many significant obstacles to pass before people
can expect to fly themselves across cities in small vehicles
like this - including creating regulations and commercializing
the technology.
AIR's next test phase is with someone onboard, Plaut said.
He hopes their electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL,
aircraft will hit the market at the end of 2024 at a base price
of $150,000. Average day-to-day speed will be about 100 mph (160
kph) at an altitude of 1,200 feet (366 m), Plaut said.
(Reporting by Amir Cohen, Eli Berlizon, Hannah Confino and Ilan
Rosenberg; Editing by David Evans)
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