(Honda)
Honda will develop a hybrid vertical take-off and landing aircraft for flights between cities.
The Japanese company is planning flight tests of its demonstration model in 2025, after which it will decide on mass production.
Honda has experience building aircraft. It produces very light HondaJet, which can fly up to 2.66 thousand kilometers with a maximum cruising speed of 782 kilometers per hour.
In April, the Japanese company announced its 2050 targets. One of them was to create electric cars, ships and aircraft, including a vertical take-off and landing vehicle.
Honda did not provide any details about the latter at the time.
The Japanese company confirmed its plans during a September 30 briefing. It announced that it was going to create a vertical take-off and landing vehicle for intercity flights.
According to the results of her research, the greatest demand will be precisely for devices with a range of up to 402 kilometers.
Most vertical takeoff and landing vehicles today fly much shorter distances.
Even the air taxi Joby Aviation, which claims a record range in this class, could fly only 248.8 kilometers on a single charge.
Based on the images, the Honda aircraft will be a two-beam design. Eight propellers will be located on two beams, and two more, in annular fairings, in the tail section.
The device will be equipped with a hybrid motor with a gas turbine generator. In the future, when the battery capacity increases, the device could become fully electric.
Honda plans to test the technology on prototypes in 2023 and flight test a demonstration model in 2025.
After that, it will decide whether to start mass production of the aircraft. If the decision is positive, the company hopes to certify it by 2030.
Honda promises that the prices for travel in the four-seater will be lower than for business class tickets on commercial airliners.
Source:
I have heard news of this but it seems it is going to take some time before this takes off but i am extremely interested in the solo flights that are being tested. The last i got to hear was when a person was able to fly for 18kms with a jet. It was cool.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit