US Hexacopter developer Alaka’i Technologies has received FAA approval to flight test its second experimental Skai vehicle. The first has already flown and continues to undertake a flight test programme. 

Skai is a four seat, hydrogen-powered hexacopter. It carries a double-walled tank of liquid hydrogen that is kept under low pressure at -423 degrees Fahrenheit. The hydrogen combines with oxygen in the fuel cells to produce the electricity required for a top speed of 115mph and a range of up to 400 miles. Early designs were to be battery-powered but would enable only 15-20 minutes of airborne flight, so instead the company looked at fuel cells, which were becoming more prominent in automotive applications.

Founder and director Brian Morrison says: “We have achieved free flight on our vehicles and are proceeding towards certification by the FAA, with whom we have been engaged since 2018. We’re also planning to hold a public demonstration soon.”

Production certification is targeted from the middle of 2024, after which selling and shipping can commence. Disaster relief, especially on the US mainland, has been identified as an initial use case.

“We can sell aircraft to states for the National Guard to operate,” says Morrison. “And they can actually fly our vehicles prior to when the FAA issues a certification because they will be used for defence purposes.”

The company says it does have a major launch customer, as yet unnamed, that plans to use Skai as an air taxi on the US West Coast.

Alaka'i plans to produce between 500-800 vehicles per year with a view to ramping up production to higher volumes post-2025.