The aircraft are expected to go on sale in 2015. Credit: Metro World News
Fresh from completing the first electric flight, the German engineers at E-Volo have scooped $1.65 million for their Volocopter design, believed to be a world record.
The craft is an ultralight helicopter that runs on batteries. CEO Stephan Wolf is excited.
Why do people like it so much?
E-mobility is extending through so many industries and this has captured the imagination – so many people have sent emails saying they love it. Also, the launch and landing are key with flights, and electric aircraft can be controlled better.
When will they hit the market?
We will get the license next year; so far we have not even flown in it. After that we can start to sell them in 2015 for delivery in 2016. At this point we are only producing ultralight class for two people, but in theory it can be scaled to any size, even powered only by batteries.
Will this be the future of drones?
The term is a bit military but of course it is possible. We have remote-controlled a small model so perfectly realistic to build drones, but at the moment we are thinking of manned aircraft.
