The Japanese company Tetra Aviation has shown flight tests of its single-seat electric aircraft vertical takeoff and landing Mk-5. They were held in California. As reported by New Atlas, Tetra Aviation plans to start delivering Mk-5 to customers at the end of next year.
Vertical take-off and landing devices are being developed today by small startups like Ehang, and giants Airbus and Honda . Basically, it is assumed that they will be able to work as an air taxi in cities or between cities.
Tetra Aviation unveiled its Mk-5 single-seat electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft in August. Its body is made mainly of aluminum, and the structures are made of a polymer reinforced with carbon fibers. The cabin of the Mk-5 is located between two wide wings, on which there are 36 lifting screws for vertical takeoff and landing.
The Mk-5 is designed for a pilot weighing less than 90.7 kilograms. The device is equipped with a 13.5 kilowatt-hour battery, which allows it to fly up to 160 kilometers. The cruising speed of the Mk-5 is 160 kilometers per hour.
Tetra Aviation on October 7 published a video of the flight tests of the Mk-5, which took place in California. The device flew in unmanned mode and, apparently, demonstrated only vertical takeoff and landing. The Japanese company says it has already received orders for the Mk-5, and plans to start deliveries at the end of next year.
In the USA, these vehicles will be registered as homemade or experimental aircraft. This means that you will need a pilot's license to fly on the Mk-5, and each device will need to be registered with the American Federal Aviation Administration.
Earlier we wrote about a single-seat electric tiltrotor Heaviside, which is being developed by the American company Kitty Hawk. Like the Mk-5, it will be able to fly up to 160 kilometers, and at the same time it will be very quiet.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva