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Zeva's Flying Saucer Is Back, This Time With Video Proof That It Can Stay in the Air

Back in November, Zeva Aero said it plans to soon start the untethered testing of its weird-looking flying saucer. The Tacoma-based company stayed true to its word and now comes back to us with proof of its eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft being capable of actually flying, or just hovering, for now, to be more precise.
Zeva Zero eVTOL 8 photos
Photo: Zeva Aero/YouTube
Zeva Zero eVTOL test flightsZeva Zero eVTOL test flightsZeva Zero eVTOL test flightsZeva Zero eVTOL test flightsZeva Zero eVTOL test flightsZeva Zero eVTOL test flightsZeva Zero eVTOL test flights
Zeva’s Zero eVTOL is not your ordinary-looking flying machine, but one very familiar in design to those alien ships from yesteryear Sci-Fi movies. It is shaped like a disc and is made from carbon fiber. It measures 8 ft (2.4 m) in diameter and it is conceived as a personal aircraft that transitions from hover mode to forward flying mode. The manufacturer boasts of the patent-pending design blending the best features of multi-copter with streamlined wing-body, leading to a more efficient aircraft with an improved range.

The emission-free eVTOL recently nailed its first unmanned, untethered flight tests, which were conducted in rural Pierce County in Washington. Four flights were completed, with the aircraft totaling over four minutes of controlled hovering, simulated taxiing maneuvers at slow speeds, and limited vertical climb maneuvers, as explained by Zeva. It might not look like much from the video (you can watch it below this article), but it is seen as an important milestone by the company and a step in the right direction to achieve FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) airworthiness certification for the aircraft.

Designed for a single pilot, the Zero eVTOL is small enough to fit in a standard automobile parking space and can land on a 30 by 30 ft (9 by 9 m) area. The production version will have a load capacity of 220 lb. (approximately 100 kg), will be quiet and its batteries will offer a range of 50 miles (80 km) per charge. As for the speed of the flying disc, it will be able to cruise at 160 mph (257 kph).

For now, Zeva Aero plans to continue hover tests, then transition to horizontal flight, and eventually start manned tests, later on. Pre-orders for the eVTOL should open this spring for a $5,000 deposit, while the first production units of the Zero eVTOL are estimated to have a price of approximately $250,000.

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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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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.
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