Most electric flying taxis currently undergoing trials in the world are designed to carry one or two passengers and small loads. The total mass of passengers and cargo for such vehicles does not exceed 200 kilograms. For example, the German air taxi Volocopter 2X is capable of carrying a load weighing up to 160 kilograms.
The British electric air taxi Seraph is designed to carry passengers and goods weighing up to 250 kilograms. Developed by the Bristol-based company aptly named Vertical Aerospace, the 12-rotor flying taxi looks like a big domestic battery-powered drone.
Now the company announced the tests and published a video demonstrating the device in flight (the video shows how the device performs vertical take-off and performs flight over the runway, and then lands).
The Seraph can take off with 250 kg (551 lb) on board, able to carry up to three people, and can reach the speeds of up to 80km per hour. The aircraft features a unique passive cooling system and a customizable design, meaning the aircraft can be made larger or smaller, fitted with wheels or floats to facilitate water landings.
The company has already begun the certification process for its next model, a passenger aircraft due to be unveiled next year. At present, a number of new technologies and innovative features are being tested.
It is worth noting that the company works with a large group of people, including some of the leading engineers and designers from Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, and McLaren.
