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America's First New Aircraft Category Since 1940s

Jumping into the era of eVTOL air taxis and multicopter cargo drones, the US FAA has issued new regulations that introduce "power-lift" aircraft.


An eVTOL by Joby
Credit: Joby

It's the first new aircraft category since modern helicopters were introduced in the 1940s. According to the FAA and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a power-lift aircraft is "a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of vertical take-off, vertical landing, and low-speed flight, which depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for the lift during these flight regimes and on non-rotating aerofoils for lift during horizontal flight."


Essentially, this means aircraft that combine the characteristics of both fixed-wing planes and helicopters. In other words, they can take off, hover, and land like helicopters, yet act like fixed-winged craft in horizontal flight. Several such aircraft have featured on OGN Daily, including Lilium's sleek electric-powered craft which, instead of using the large rotors seen on other eVTOLs, uses a series of small ducted fans for both vertical and horizontal propulsion.


While commercial eVTOL operations are already well and truly up and running in China, the USA and Europe are leading the rest of the world down a more cautious path. US eVTOL contenders Joby, Archer and Beta Technologies are all targeting FAA type certification and first commercial fights in 2025.


Here's the FAA one minute explainer video...


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