The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (EVTOL) aircraft, known as “Midnight,” completed the highest flight ever, reaching an altitude of 7,000 feet (2,100 meters).
Archer Aviation, which makes Midnight Evtol, hopes that one day the aircraft will become “electric big tycoons.” The vehicle is equipped with a battery pack containing numerous lithium-ion cells, allowing one pilot to carry along with passengers with luggage.
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The new ceiling is an important milestone for several reasons, says a company representative. One is the ability to fly at an altitude of 7,000 feet, allowing it to run midnight in cities with high-rise skyscrapers.
Milestones also open cities at higher altitudes, and otherwise open mountain and other highland destinations that Evtol cannot access.
High ceilings also mean that air congestion is avoided. As Evtols, Drones and other low-altitude aircraft become more common, the ability to pass through higher flight corridors is a great advantage, helping to avoid the types of terrestrial animals originally designed to avoid.
During the test flight, it reached speeds exceeding 120 mph (193 kph) at midnight, flying to a total of 45 mph (72 km).
Last month, the aircraft completed its longest flight to date, covering 55 miles (86 km) in 31 minutes at speeds above 126 mph (203 km/h). According to Archer Aviation, midnight reached over 150 mph (241 km/h) in previous tests, allowing EVTOL to complete the trip in minutes that takes hours on ground vehicles.
“Over 50 miles [80 km] Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer Aviation, said in a statement.
The success of the test flight illustrates another step towards the company’s goal of obtaining Federal Aviation Administration certification. Archer recently began the process of commercializing operations as it deploys midnight in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
These “flying cars” offer several advantages over traditional aircraft and traditional VTOLs that do not rely on electricity, the manufacturer says. For example, “Vertiports” means the ability to mean a traditional airport city footprint vertically and vertically. Power also means that EVTOL is quieter, less noise pollution than traditional aircraft in urban environments, and more environmentally friendly.
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