Airbus conducts first test of Vahana pilotless air taxi

A^3 (pronounced A cubed) - Airbus' innovation center in the Silicon Valley has successfully completed the first test of its all-electric, pilotless personal aircraft.

The test flight was conducted at the Pendleton UAS Range in Oregon on January 31, 2018. During the test flight, the plane hovered for a total for 53 seconds and reached a height of 5 m before landing safely. A second test flight was conducted a day later.

Airbus has chosen the Sanskrit name 'Vahana' for its pilotless aircraft, denoting a vehicle or an animal that carries a person, typically a deity. Vahana is an all-electric, self-piloted aircraft that is capable of vertical take off and landing. In just under 2 years, the Vahana concept was realized into a full-scale prototype. The Vahana will be subjected to further tests including transitions and forward flight.

Airbus aims to work in the field of personal flight and urban mobility. The company has also released a video of the Vahana pilotless concept.