Heart Aerospace Flies the World's Largest Electric Aircraft
The largest electric aircraft just flew [video]
Heart Aerospace, a Y Combinator-backed startup, has flown the largest electric aircraft ever, a 100-foot wingspan plane with a 25,000-pound takeoff weight that costs just $5 of electricity to get off the ground. In this Hard Tech episode, YC's Gustaf Alströmer visits Heart's LA pilot plant and talks with CEO Anders Forslund about the journey from a 3D-printed model to full-scale flight in seven years, why jet engines are obsolete for short flights, and how cheap electric flight could transform regional air travel.
Heart Aerospace just flew the largest electric airplane ever flown — a 100-foot wingspan, a takeoff weight of 25,000 pounds, and $5 of electricity to get it off the ground.
- QuantumNoodle
These kind of startup excite me. More so than the "next killer app" or "look what we shoved AI into."
Cheap electric transportation can finally offset USA's lacking rail commutes and attack Europe's short flight market (which is already cheap). Now we need bigger planes or more frequent planes and the next startup to solve the energy needs.
- mmcconnell1618
Interesting decision to build the whole aircraft instead of the propulsion system only. I wonder what the decision process was between retrofit of existing turboprop frame vs. build from the ground up? I would expect the level of effort and certification to be much higher building from scratch even though you get complete control.
- feb
Heart Aerospace (YC W19) just flew the largest electric airplane ever flown — a 100-foot wingspan, a takeoff weight of 25,000 pounds, and $5 of electricity to get it off the ground.
- aliljet
To be clear, this is a hybrid aircraft, but it's still an awesome step forward!
- arijun
The noise wouldn't be significantly lower during takeoff/landing, only during taxi, right? Good for workers on the tarmac, but doesn't get rid of the largest noise pollution issue.