Australia’s ‘Most Efficient Air Taxi’ Completes its Maiden Test Flight

Australia’s ‘Most Efficient Air Taxi’ Completes its Maiden Test Flight

Vertiia just completed its maiden test flight, which is big news, considering the aircraft comes with the claim of zero carbon emissions and the ability to carry a pilot and four passengers.

Vertiia is billed as “the most efficient air taxi” by the ‘green’ aerospace company behind the plane, AMSL Aero.

According to AMSL, Vertiia is “the world’s most efficient electric Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft”, also known as an eVTOL. An eVTOL is a type of aircraft that take off and land like a helicopter but fly like a plane.

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“The combination of its unique aerodynamic and structural design means it travels further using less energy,” the company says, noting too that the Vertiia has a cruising speed of 300km per hour.

If it becomes operational in its current form, the eVTOL will cruise at 300km per hour, and will travel 250km powered purely by electric batteries before needing a recharge. Vertiia is designed to travel non-stop up to 1,000km using hydrogen, which AMSL reckons is three times the range of any current eVTOL aircraft.

“Which makes it the most efficient eVTOL in the world,” AMSL added.

The Vertiia this week successfully completed its maiden test flight. This is the first-ever flight by an Australian-designed and built eVTOL, which is pretty cool. AMSL said Vertiia completed its tethered hover by remote control in the Central West region of New South Wales (in strict accordance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority – CASA – regulations, of course).

According to AMSL Aero CEO and Vertiia inventor Andrew Moore, the prototype flew better than he expected.

“It was remarkably smooth and a delight to fly,” said Moore, noting AMSL Aero will now conduct more test flights and begin CASA certification for Vertiia.

AMSL Aero expects to commence deliveries of the Vertiia in 2026 to customers in the aeromedical, cargo, emergency and regional air mobility sectors. It’s hoped Vertiia will enable greater access to medical services for vulnerable remote, rural and regional communities.

“Vertiia is not only safe and quiet but it was also developed for the harsh long-distance conditions in Australia.  If it can work in Australia, it can work anywhere,” AMSL co-founder Siobhan Lyndon added.


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