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Matt Chasen, Lift CEO and founder, poses in the Hexa 2 at Dubai Airshow.
DUBAI—Lift Aircraft says interest in its Hexa 2 personal electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft is taking off in the Middle East after a series of recent demonstration flights in Abu Dhabi.
The Texas-based startup is showcasing its single-seat multicopter here at the Dubai Airshow for the first time. Lift expects sales in the region to accelerate following the recent formation of a strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi-based Multi Level Group (MLG) and its associated Advanced Mobility Hub.
“That consortium will be starting to operate there in the UAE, pending approval by UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA),” Lift CEO and founder Matt Chasen says. “In the UAE our aircraft fits into their light sport class. So, we get certified as a club, and then that club handles all of the aircraft airworthiness assessments, pilots, license certification,” he adds.
Lift has 28 eVTOLs built or in assembly, two of which are currently in the Middle East, including the multicopter here at Dubai. Lift originally expected to participate in the flying display at the show but Chasen says the vehicle will be on static display only as permission to fly was denied at the last minute.
Designed to comply with FAA Part 103 regulations for ultralight aircraft, which do not require type certification or a pilot’s license, the Hexa 2 version features updated flight control computers, an improved powertrain and structural enhancements.
The Hexa 2 is fitted with 18 42-in. dia. propellers which feature winglets to reduce tip vortices and noise. The blades are configured with 16-deg. pitch to provide higher thrust at lower rpm and more efficiency at higher density altitudes.
Baseline endurance is 15 min. but the company has also developed the Hexa 2 Extended Range—featuring batteries with twice the energy density providing twice the flight time, up to 30 min. “We’ve also got a new chemistry battery we're testing that would go even up to about 40 minutes,” Chasen adds.
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