Startups are piling into the world of vertical takeoff and landing (EVTOL) vehicles, and Israel’s Air is one of the early brands to get off the ground. Its eight-motor quadcopter, the One, is now on display at the Detroit Auto Show, giving attendees a view of the near-future it envisions.
Designed to be as simple to fly as possible, the Air One features just eight moving parts: the electric motors, which are each connected to a propeller. These work together to direct the aircraft up, down, forward, and backward through the air without the need for ailerons or other complications.
That means that the Air One is controlled completely by a single joystick, which feed inputs into its onboard computers, translating them into smooth motion in any direction. Although you’ll have to have your pilot’s license to fly it, the company says it is working to ensure that you only need a sports pilot license, not a commercial one, requiring less flight time of hopeful owners.
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Air promises that the One is good for one hour of flight time per charge, making it ideal for a quick flight to a nearby location. It also has seating for two, a payload capacity of 550 lbs (249 kg), a top speed of around 100 mph (161 km/h), and a flight ceiling of 1,200 feet (366 meters).
Despite having eight motors, Air says that the One needs just four to stay in aloft, offering it the safety of redundancy. In addition, it has four batteries that supply the motors, which offers the pilot a further safety net. Should all else fail, it also has a ballistic parachute to help it float back to the ground in an emergency.
Air said earlier this year that it has already received 400 pre-orders from around the world, most coming from the United States. Meanwhile, it has been conducting full-scale test flights since the summer of 2022. The company hopes that the One will start being piloted by owners in late 2024 with a base price of $150,000.
