Nasa and a host of aviation startups are developing aircraft that could transform the way we travel, with lower emissions and runway-free landings
The end of the jet age could be in sight. Innovative new electric aircraft are starting to find their way off the drawing board and onto runways, funded by startups, government agencies and the world’s biggest jet makers. They promise flights that are cleaner, quieter and safer than today’s jets, and with a fraction of their carbon footprint.
Earlier this month, Nasa announced that it would be building a high-speed research aircraft called Maxwell that would use electric motors to drive 14 propellers. The four-seater aircraft should be able to fly at speeds of up to 175mph (about as fast as many small aircraft), using a fifth of the energy of a normal private plane.