The first flight demonstration of the flying “Hexa” vehicle produced by the US aerospace company LIFT Aircraft, held in Tokyo, Japan, aimed to show the younger generation that “it is now easy to fly”.
“Hexa”, a flying vehicle manufactured by LIFT Aircraft, completed its first demonstration flight in Tokyo at the garage of the “Big Sight” exhibition center as part of the “SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024” event.
The flying vehicle Hexa took off at a height of 10 meters in the show organized on different days throughout the week, hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture and Japan-based Marubeni Corp.
During the free shows organized throughout the week, nearly 200 thousand spectators, from young to old, took photos and videos around the flying vehicle while watching the successful first test flight with interest.
Lift Aircraft Chief Pilot Jace McCown, who piloted the vehicle, said: “Flying is very, very simple now. The computer manages most of the details. Press a button to take off, press a button to land.”
The governorate official and the company manager, who made an evaluation to AA after the show, spoke about the purpose of organizing the event in Tokyo and the usage areas of the aircraft.
“It is important that everyone knows the latest technology”
Kishimoto Kenji, Director of the Policy Planning Office for the Promotion of Environmental, Social, Governance (eSG) Projects of the Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture, said that the test flight was widely watched in the capital.
“It is important for everyone to know the latest technology,” Kishimoto said, adding that the prefectural administration was pleased that many people, from young to old, had the opportunity to watch the first demonstration flight across Tokyo.
“We aimed to create awareness for young people watching for the first time that they can now easily fly into the sky,” Kishimoto said, adding that they would like to expand the use of the new technology when real flights begin in the near future.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko stated in her speech at the event that she wants more people to experience the technology, which she described as “the future of transportation”, and said, “I look forward to flying vehicles becoming a normal means of transportation.”
“Hexa, a completely new type of airplane that anyone can fly”
“Introducing Hexa, a completely new type of airplane that anyone can fly,” is the motto of US aviation company LIFT Aircraft, which completed the initial design of the project in December 2017.
The upper part of the aircraft’s single-seat passenger cabin has a total of 18 propellers, 12 on the outer perimeter and 6 on the inner perimeter.
Aiming for a near-perfect “balanced and controlled flight”, the aircraft’s 18 propellers are independent of each other and powered by electric propulsion.
The 4.5-meter-wide, 2.6-meter-high, fully carfonfiber-bodied flying vehicle, which can take off and land vertically, weighs approximately 196 kilograms.
The vehicle, which is reported to be able to fly at a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour, can stay in the air for a maximum of 15 minutes thanks to the batteries it currently carries.
It is noted that battery capacities will be increased. Actual flight times can vary between 8 and 15 minutes depending on pilot weight and weather conditions.
The manufacturer company has announced a price of 495 thousand dollars for the aircraft for the year 2023 and for sales covering selected customers.
Hexa, which is classified as “motorized ultralight” in line with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, does not require a pilot’s license for driving.
Leveraging technologies from the drone industry
HEXA is an amphibious “float-walker” capable of landing on both land and water.
It has four perimeter buoys for buoyancy and stability, and a fifth center buoy filled with energy-absorbing foam in case of a hard landing.
Expected to facilitate the next generation of human transportation, the flying vehicles will primarily be used to combat traffic jams and deliver supplies to disaster areas.
The demonstration emphasized that Hexa, which utilizes technologies from the drone industry, “could provide a clean, exciting and efficient alternative to burning fossil fuels and waiting in congested roads” in the near future.
War, disaster and different services in the city
LIFT Aircraft Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Matt Chasen said in his statement that the device will be utilized in the field of “med-evac” in addition to the features that have attracted public attention.
Noting that helicopters are often considered “slow and expensive” in similar operations, Chasen argued that they can pose a life risk for the crew they carry.
In contrast, Chasen argued that the “lower-cost” Hexa model aircraft, which can be dispatched “unmanned” to the war zone, “can evacuate a wounded soldier to safety at the touch of a button”.
Stating that the Hexa vehicle can provide logistical support, including the supply of ammunition, fuel and water to points with transportation difficulties in the war zone, Chasen said that it can provide search and rescue in the disaster zone and ambulance service in the city.
“This (demonstration) is a strong indication to thousands of people on our waiting list that they will have the opportunity to fly very soon,” Chasen said, emphasizing that they attach great importance to the first test show in Tokyo compared to the introduction in other countries, including the US.
According to the manufacturer, LIFT aims to market Hexa to the national and international industry, covering areas such as emergency medical response, law enforcement activities, as well as commercial and military logistics support.
