Social media reports today say that Airbus and its partner Siemens have made the first, tethered flight of the 2.2 tonne electrically powered urban air mobility demonstrator, CityAirbus. The first flight was made at the Airbus centre in Donauwörth, Germany with the next set of tests to be undertaken at Manching, Germany, where further flight testing will take place.
CityAirbus is an electrically-powered Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) air vehicle demonstrator, capable of carrying up to four passengers, and will initially be operated by a pilot for certification and market entry purposes. In time, CityAirbus is intended to be fully autonomous and self-piloted, once regulations are in place. The development takes place in two locations: Airbus Helicopters’ Donauwörth facility for the overall system and Ottobrunn/Munich for the electrical propulsion.