TheJobyaircraft'ssixrotorsalltiltforwardinavectoredthrustconfigurationtoachievehigh-speedhorizontalwingedflight
JobyAviation
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JobyAviationhascontinuedexpandingtheenvelopeonitsS4electricairtaxiprototypes,andonFridaytheCaliforniacompanyregisteredwhatitbelievesisthefastesteVTOLtestflightinhistory,hittingatrueairspeedof205mph(330km/h).
Thatcomfortablysurpassesthecompany'spromiseof200-mph(322-km/h)topspeeds,andit'sunclearwhetherthere'smorespeedtobefoundastestingcontinues.BackinJuly,Jobyannouncedithadalsobeatenitsprojected150-mile(241-km)rangefigure,witha154.6-mile(249-km)testflightitalsosaysstandsasarecordintheclass.
Soasitstands,JobyclaimstheS4hasflownfurtherandfasterthananyeVTOLaircrafteverbuilt.Andit'shardtoguesswho'llstepupandbeateitheroftheserecords,sinceveryfewcompaniesareevenaimingforspeedandrangefiguresinthisvicinity,especiallyamongthosethatarewell-fundedandusingbatteriesforenergystorage.Itmighttakeahydrogen-poweredeVTOLtobeatthatrangefigure,andaswe'reunawareofanyhydrogeneVTOLscurrentlytestingofftether,thatcouldtakeawhile.
It'simportanttonotethatJoby'srecordfigureswerebothprobablysetflyinganemptyaircraft,weighingaround4,000lb(1,814kg),viaremotecontrol.Addapilotandfourpassengers,andit'llbeinterestingtoseehowfastandfaritfliesclosertoitsmaximumgrosstakeoffweightof4,800lb(2,177kg).
Buteitherway,theseareimpressiveachievementsandatestamenttoJoby'sstatusatthepointyendoftheeVTOLmovement.
