There’s another contender looking to enter the big-city air taxi race. On Wednesday, Erik Lindbergh—longtime pilot and grandson of historic aviator Charles Lindbergh—announced the formation of VerdeGo Aero, which will be focused on creating and producing a short-range aircraft suitable for on-demand flights in urban areas. The new company is headquartered at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University MicaPlex in Daytona, Florida. Lindbergh will be taking the helm as president.
The hybrid-electric aircraft VerdeGo Aero is developing—called the Personal Air Taxi 200 (PAT200)—will be vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL)-capable. The company says the PAT200 will seat two and have a useful load of around 500 pounds. Max cruise is billed at 150 mph. The PAT200 will have eight electric motors driving independent rotors. The rotors will be attached to dual tilt-wings (one wing in the front and one in the back). VerdeGo Aero says the aircraft will be able to operate either piloted or autonomously.
Learn more at VerdeGo Aero.