Last week, Boeing completed the first test flight of its autonomous passenger aircraft prototype in Manassas, Virginia. The prototype is 30-feet long and 28-feet wide, powered by an electric propulsion system with a flight range of about 50 miles. The flight was successful, completing a controlled takeoff, hover and landing. Boeing hopes to test forward, wing-borne flight as well as the transition phase between vertical and forward-flight modes.
Boeing Chief Technology Officer, Greg Hyslop, said, “In one year, we have progressed from a conceptual design to a flying prototype. Boeing’s expertise and innovation have been critical in developing aviation as the world’s safest and most efficient form of transportation, and we will continue to lead with a safe, innovative and responsible approach to new mobility solutions.”
Boeing plans to continue to test the prototype to advance the safety and reliability of on-demand autonomous air transportation.