Germany-based eVTOL aircraft developer Lilium has begun the next phase of flight testing in Spain with its fifth generation technology demonstrator Phoenix 2.

Over the coming months at the ATLAS flight test centre in Villacarrillo, Lilium plans to extend the flight envelope through full transition and high speed flight. These developments come after successful flight testing with the same aircraft in southern Germany last year.

Lilium also plans to introduce an additional demonstrator aircraft, Phoenix 3, which is scheduled to arrive in Spain for first flight this summer. This aircraft is expected to significantly accelerate the flight test campaign, allowing Lilium to increase learnings and reduce programme risks.

Together with excellent weather conditions, the ATLAS flight test centre provides optimal infrastructure and enables aircraft to fly over a large, unpopulated area while transitioning fully to high speed wing-borne flight. The modern facilities and support from the Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA) and Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) have been instrumental in setting Lilium up for a successful flight test campaign.

Co-founder and CEO Daniel Wiegand says: “We are excited to have kicked off our next phase of flight testing in Spain. This step takes us even closer to reaching our goal of creating a sustainable and accessible mode of high speed, low noise regional air mobility.”