US-based eVTOL company LIFT Aircraft successfully conducted its first-ever piloted test flight with its HEXA aircraft in Osaka, Japan.
The demonstration was held in conjunction with GMO Internet Group and Marubeni Corporation, which LIFT Aircraft are partnering with to grow the eVTOL market in Japan.
Against the backdrop of Osaka Castle, Masatoshi Kumagai of GMO Internet Group piloted HEXA and completed three flight patterns.
Among those present for the test flight was the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). The civil aviation authority carefully inspected the aircraft’s safety features, the extensiveness of the test program, and the flight envelope.
“JCAB was thorough in their review of our safety standards and our aircraft, and gave us the green light to fly,” Matt Chasen, founder and CEO of LIFT Aircraft, said. “It’s an honor that our aircraft was selected to be the first eVTOL ever piloted in Japan.”
Currently, HEXA adheres to FAA Part 103 and is permitted to be flown in the US without the need for aircraft type certification or a pilot’s license. Japan, however, doesn’t have a comparable regulation in place.
A total of nine test flights were successfully completed in Osaka. LIFT and Murabeni will continue holding flight demonstrations in Niihama and Imabari this week.
With thousands of people on the HEXA waitlist, Chasen is confident that they will be able to fly the eVTOL in the near future. “This is a strong indication to the world, and especially the thousands on our waitlist, that they will have the opportunity to fly very soon,” he said.
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