In 2025, once approved by the FAA, they will be visible in the sky, including on the courier service at UPC.
Vermont-based Beta Technologies has submitted two of its electric drones, the Alia-250 and CX300, for mandatory certification, writes the Electrek portal. Following certification according to US Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) standards, the company plans to launch electric aircraft in series in 2025. Both aircraft covered more than 35,000 km during the tests and are fully ready for testing.
They currently have orders from three customers: UPS Air New Zealand, a logistics services provider, and Blade Urban Air Mobility, which specializes in providing helicopter taxi services.
The CX300 electric airplane is a modern classic
It is a conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) fixed-wing model that can carry 5 passengers and a pilot up to a distance of 620 km. The aircraft shares a similar design with other company products, such as the Alia-250 vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed for urban mobility. By the way, he also went for the certificate.
The CX300 is powered by electrical energy stored in lithium-ion batteries attached to the fuselage and wings of the aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with two propellers at the wingtips that provide thrust and flight control. The device also has a regenerative braking system that allows you to recover some of the energy during descent.
The device can be used for a variety of purposes, from passenger and cargo transportation to medical evacuations and organ delivery for transplants. Beta Technologies is also developing the infrastructure for charging its aircraft: dedicated vertical bar charging stations that can connect batteries to the grid or renewable energy sources.
Electric aircraft with vertical take-off and landing Alia-250
The company’s second “sibling” to receive certification is the eVTOL Alia-250. This is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft introduced in June 2020 and will be offered in two versions, one for passengers and one for cargo. Alia-250 engineers were inspired by the Arctic tern, the furthest bird in the world.
This eVTOL has four horizontally mounted rotors and a rear propeller for level flight. This is called the Lift+Cruise concept. It runs on a distributed direct drive electrical system and is powered by battery packs. The main feature of the model is fast charging. In just 50 minutes. You can charge the electric plane and fly again. The flight range until the next charge is 402 km and the payload is up to 3 tons.
How much is the Alia-250 and CX300
The exact price of these models is unknown, but there is evidence that the buyer Alia-250 will cost $ 4 million, but the manufacturer is ready to negotiate a discount when buying several aircraft at once. UPS, the courier service of Alia-250’s customers, did not disclose the cost of its contract with Beta Technologies.
If we talk about the CX300, its cost is not even approximately known, because this eCTOL has just passed the test tests. But the price must certainly be much higher, because the CX300 has a larger payload and can overcome longer distances without recharging (up to 621 km).
Examining the two models closely, experts say the CX300 and Alia-250 are examples of how electric aviation can change the future of transportation. And the very near future.
Previously Focus wrote that the new VTOL X-Plane will fly at 740 km / h: why does the military need it?
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.