Photo: Beta Technologies
The year 2025 seems to be the magic one when we’ll suddenly start seeing air taxis conquer the skies, with dedicated vertiports and charging pads waiting on the ground. At least, this is what several players in the industry are promising, including eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) manufacturers and infrastructure developers. One of the most highly-anticipated debuts is that of Alia.
Beta Technologies has done a lot over a short period of time. There are numerous electric aircraft out there, but few with such impressive accomplishments under their belt. Beta’s main product, the Alia, has nailed several pioneering flights, and was also at the center of the U.S. Air Force’s and Army’s first flights of an electric aircraft.
Most recently, the piloted Alia-250 aircraft successfully completed a test flight in the greater New York City area, which was the first of its kind.
This came after another major success last year, when an Alia prototype completed not just one flight but multiple ones, during an entire journey across 870 miles (1,400 km), from Plattsburgh, New York, to Louisville, Kentucky. The whole adventure lasted for five days, during which two pilots took turns operating the electric aircraft.
The Alia was inspired by nature, design-wise. It looks like a dragonfly and it’s meant to be as efficient as the Arctic tern, which is the only bird that flies over all oceans throughout its migration journey, reaching almost all continents.
As a fully-electric aircraft, the Alia claims a 250-nautical mile (463 km) range and a maximum speed of 173 mph (278 kph) while carrying a hefty load of up to 1,400 lbs (635 kg). Like most eVTOLs, it can also be configured as an air taxi, with enough room for five passengers, plus the pilot.
On a single charge, Beta’s aircraft can operate for two hours, and it needs less than an hour to recharge. The manufacturer is also developing something called the Charge Cube, which will be at the center of a planned nationwide charging network. It plans to have 150 charging sites up and running by 2025.
Headquartered in Vermont, Beta has established different hubs in strategic locations, including New York and Quebec, and is now adding another one in Montreal. Known for its reputable aerospace industry, Montreal seems like the perfect location for taking eVTOL development to the next level.
The team at this new hub will work on key elements of the future aircraft, from structural engineering to flight controls. Like most manufacturers in this emerging sector, Beta’s main goal for now is to get its electric aircraft certified. At the same time, it continues to set up charging sites across the U.S., for upcoming air taxi and cargo operations.
Most recently, the piloted Alia-250 aircraft successfully completed a test flight in the greater New York City area, which was the first of its kind.
This came after another major success last year, when an Alia prototype completed not just one flight but multiple ones, during an entire journey across 870 miles (1,400 km), from Plattsburgh, New York, to Louisville, Kentucky. The whole adventure lasted for five days, during which two pilots took turns operating the electric aircraft.
The Alia was inspired by nature, design-wise. It looks like a dragonfly and it’s meant to be as efficient as the Arctic tern, which is the only bird that flies over all oceans throughout its migration journey, reaching almost all continents.
As a fully-electric aircraft, the Alia claims a 250-nautical mile (463 km) range and a maximum speed of 173 mph (278 kph) while carrying a hefty load of up to 1,400 lbs (635 kg). Like most eVTOLs, it can also be configured as an air taxi, with enough room for five passengers, plus the pilot.
On a single charge, Beta’s aircraft can operate for two hours, and it needs less than an hour to recharge. The manufacturer is also developing something called the Charge Cube, which will be at the center of a planned nationwide charging network. It plans to have 150 charging sites up and running by 2025.
Headquartered in Vermont, Beta has established different hubs in strategic locations, including New York and Quebec, and is now adding another one in Montreal. Known for its reputable aerospace industry, Montreal seems like the perfect location for taking eVTOL development to the next level.
The team at this new hub will work on key elements of the future aircraft, from structural engineering to flight controls. Like most manufacturers in this emerging sector, Beta’s main goal for now is to get its electric aircraft certified. At the same time, it continues to set up charging sites across the U.S., for upcoming air taxi and cargo operations.
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