By: Nick Gambino
Until now electrical aviation startup Beta Technologies has focused on aircraft that could carry cargo and medical supplies, but they’ve just unveiled their next plan – transporting passengers.
Beta primarily builds electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts or eVTOL. These are unique in that they don’t require a runway. Think of it as a mix between a helicopter and a plane. The company calls their aircraft the ALIA VTOL.
And while they also put out the ALIA CTOL (conventional takeoff and landing) aircraft that more closely resembles the planes you’re used to, it seems the truly innovative eVTOL is their main focus. The idea is to take it and reconfigure the insides based on what is being transported. This means it’s one flying vehicle with rearranged furniture to store things or people properly.
They’ve worked to acquire multiple partnerships with organizations like UPS and the U.S. Air Force, gearing up to help them transport cargo in the next year. And while those haven’t officially launched, Beta is already working on the next phase.
“Flying passengers has always been a part of the plan,” Beta founder and CEO, Kyle Clark, said to TechCrunch. “We designed everything in the aircraft from a safety and space configuration standpoint to accommodate passengers. It just made more sense, from a certification and customer acquisition standpoint, to first focus on medical and cargo, and then go to passenger.”
The passenger-carrying version of the ALIA VTOL is designed to carry up to five passengers and one pilot. That’s essentially a taxi cab in flight. The company states that there will also be room for luggage. This guy might not be able to get you from New York to London, but it’ll surely get you from New York to Philadelphia.
But first, we need to see them officially launch in the air with cargo and medical supplies transport which is set for 2025.
