Lilium says its piloted electric aircraft will be able to carry four passengers and their luggage a maximum of 186 miles at 186 mph. The German air taxi startup has completed a hover test of a full-scale prototype of its ambitious electric aircraft, which is powered by tilting turbofan engines designed to allow it to take off and land vertically while cruising with the efficiency and speed of a winged aircraft. Lilium has raised $101 million in venture funding, making it one of the best-funded air taxi startups. Lilium flight-tested a two-seater version of the design in 2017, which validated its ability to shift from vertical to forward flight. The company is working on autonomous control systems for the aircraft, but Gerber says their business model doesn't depend on going pilotless.

Source: Forbes May 16, 2019 04:07 UTC