Doroni Aerospace has shared a video with the first test flight of its innovative quadcopter piloted by Doron Merdinger, CEO and founder of the company himself. The eVTOL is now on track to the mass market in a couple of years, with the projected price of $195,000.
The first flight was rather brief and took place in a hangar. Furthermore, the drone used was an earlier prototype with a chassis supported by rotors below and a makeshift cabin. The video also provides a glimpse of what the company believes to be the likeliest candidate for production. Despite the fact that an older prototype was tested, Doroni said it was confident in its success.
The eVTOL (electric vehicle capable of vertical takeoff and landing) has seats for two adult people and uses eight rotors to lift off. It flies much like any traditional copter: by tilting its body forward. Special aerodynamic planes are included in the design to keep it stable in this position, and two propellers mounted at the rear end do most of the work when airborne.
The projected flight distance is 100 kilometers, or 62 miles. The vehicle can accelerate up to 225 km/h (140 mph), but yields the best results at its cruising speed of 160 km/h (100 mph). Next year, Doroni plans to certify the eVTOL as a light sports aircraft in the United States.