An early prototype of Boeing's self-driving air taxi completed its first flight at an airfield in Manassas, Virginia, on Tuesday, marking what could be an early breakthrough in the company's vision for autonomous, on-demand flight.
The aircraft successfully took off, hovered and landed, all of which employed its autonomous navigation and landing systems, according to a release published Wednesday by the Chicago-based aerospace giant. The test marks an early milestone for Boeing's Aurora Flight Sciences subsidiary, which it acquired in 2017 for a sum that wasn't disclosed.
"This is what revolution looks like, and it's because of autonomy," John Langford, president and chief executive of Aurora Flight Sciences, said in a statement. "Certifiable autonomy is going to make quiet, clean and safe urban air mobility possible."
The 9-metre-long plane has a wingspan of 8.5 metres, with vertical rotors designed to let it hover or fly forward for up to 80 kilometres. Next, the company will test the aircraft's ability to fly forward.
The vehicle is part of a Boeing research-and-development division called NeXt, which works with technologists and government regulatory agencies to plan the eventual introduction of self-piloting air vehicles. This year, the company plans to test-fly an unmanned cargo plane that is designed to carry up to 226 kilograms.
