If you would normally see this flying saucer in the sky, you wouldn’t necessarily think it was crafted on this planet. But Zeva Zero is just a futuristic eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft concept aiming to bring a new class of personal flying machines to the urban air mobility market.
Designed and developed by U.S.-based company Zeva Aero, the Zero eVTOL is described as a personal aircraft that transitions from hover mode to forward flight mode, being able to cruise comfortably at 160 mph (257 kph).
First introduced in 2019, the Zero aircraft is now a full-scale prototype that’s flying almost on a daily basis, although just tethered for now. But that’s about to change in a few weeks, according to the company’s CEO, Stephen Tibbits, as quoted by New Atlas. Smaller models have already been successfully tested in the past without being tethered.
Design-wise, the aircraft looks like a disc made from carbon fiber, measuring 8 ft (2.4 m) in diameter. It has a cavity in the middle where the passenger sits, and the batteries are placed on the sides of the disc.
The production Zero eVTOL will be a single-seater with a load capacity of 220 lb (almost 100 kg) and will offer a range of 50 miles (80 km). It will be quiet, compact, and able to land on a 30 x 30 ft area. Zero will take off vertically and after about 20 seconds, it will switch to horizontal flight mode.
Multiple applications are envisioned for the Zero eVTOL, from being useful for personal air travel and first responders to being reliable in search and rescue missions, cargo delivery, and more.
Right now, the company is preparing to test the eVTOL untethered, and then it plans to move on to manned flights, which could happen within three to six months. When this flying saucer will finally hit the market, Zeva Aero estimates it will come at a price of $250,000 per unit.
Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars. Full profile
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