Electra.aero has unveiled the test vehicle for its hybrid-electric ultra-short take off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft, the first of its kind, marking a significant milestone in Electra's mission to help decarbonise aviation and revolutionise urban and regional transportation.

Electra's eSTOL technology demonstrator (TD) is the world's first blown lift aircraft using distributed electric propulsion, which enables the aircraft to take off and land in very short spaces. Electra's proprietary blown lift technology uses eight motors to provide additional wing lift and hybrid-electric power that provides internal recharging capabilities for aircraft batteries, eliminating the need for new ground infrastructure.

The two seat, piloted TD aircraft showcases the Electra eSTOL technology at full scale and will be flown this summer in an extensive flight test programme to track performance and inform the design of Electra's nine passenger production aircraft. The company conducted a fully integrated test of its proprietary hybrid-electric propulsion system last year.

"In the three years since we founded Electra, we've designed our eSTOL aircraft, validated our blown lift technology with a sub-scale demonstrator and run a fully integrated test of our 150-kilowatt hybrid-electric generator at full scale,'' says founder and CEO John S Langford. "Now we're ready to test the entire system with this technology demonstrator aircraft. We can't wait to fly this plane and show the world what our eSTOL aircraft can do."

Electra's future eSTOL production aircraft will deliver the operational flexibility of a helicopter with the safety and economics of a conventional fixed wing aircraft. Electra plans to fly a prototype of the nine passenger production aircraft in 2025, with certification and entry into service in 2028 under FAA Part 23 regulation. Electra has designed the eSTOL aircraft so that hydrogen or battery-electric propulsion systems can be used in the future when those technologies are commercially viable.

"Electra was founded to build electric aircraft that make sense," adds JP vice president and general manager JP Stewart. "We are meeting market demand for cleaner, cost-effective aircraft that can fly people and cargo closer to where they want to go, and this technology demonstrator aircraft will prove that our eSTOL technology makes that possible."

Electra currently holds letters of intent from more than 30 customers for over 1,200 of its production eSTOL aircraft, totalling more than $4 billion in market demand. The company recently won a $30 million US Air Force funding award as part of a larger $85 million funding effort. The aircraft was rolled out at Electra's development facility at the Manassas Regional airport in Virginia in a ceremony that included guests from the aviation industry, government, the investor community and Electra customers.