New Atlas reported on an exciting development in aviation. FlyNow Aviation executed the first free, untethered flight of its electric helicopter in Eastern Austria.
FlyNow Aviation’s co-founder and COO, Yvonne Winter, stated that “the successful untethered flight of our eCopter is not just a technical achievement — it’s visible proof that our vision works.”
The innovative aviation company was founded in 2019 with the intention of providing efficient, clean, and affordable ways to fly, focusing on the needs of the urban environment. Its eCopter is intended to function like a personal electric helicopter, as opposed to being an air taxi service, as is being developed by competitors. Winter explained that FlyNow Aviation wants to make urban air travel possible for everyone.
Personal electric air travel could be a huge win for the environment. Air travel produces a great deal of pollution that contributes to the warming of the planet. The aviation industry is responsible for over 2% of global carbon pollution, with private jet travel being the worst offender in relation to the number of travelers involved in each flight. The ratio of pollution produced per person is much higher than what is produced per person on a commercial jet.
As the aviation industry tries to take steps toward greater sustainability, alternative travel methods such as train travel and traveling by electric vehicle are more environmentally-friendly ways to get from point A to point B.
FlyNow’s eCopter could be another step toward more sustainable travel. The company is aiming to start commercial cargo operations in 2027, and more testing and refining are currently taking place. Once the eCopter has successfully completed over a million kilometers (over 620,000 miles) of travel, passenger flights may be able to begin.
Winter is hopeful, stating, “every milestone brings us closer to making urban air mobility a reality for everyone.”
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