Virginia-based American company Electra is developing a hybrid-electric aircraft that can take off and land in just 150 feet of space, or about 46 meters. The aim is to offer a new way to travel regional distances that are long enough to make driving inconvenient but not always suited to traditional flights.
The EL9 Ultra Short is designed to carry up to nine passengers or 1,360 kilograms of cargo and travel about 612 kilometers. Unlike electric aircraft in this category, it does not take off or land vertically. Instead, it uses eight electric motors and a turbogenerator, enabling it to operate in very confined spaces.
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At the heart of the design is what Electra calls distributed electric propulsion. Eight propellers increase the speed of the air flowing over the wings, generating lift even when the aircraft is moving slowly. The wings and special mechanisms further enhance this capability.
According to CNN, the company says the EL9 can take off at just 48 kilometers per hour. During takeoff, noise reaches about 75 decibels, roughly the level of a vacuum cleaner.
Electricity for the motors is produced by a turbogenerator that runs on standard aviation fuel. Electra claims the system uses 40% less fuel than similar aircraft and that operating costs could be up to 70% lower than those of helicopters.
With this project, the company hopes to build a network it calls “direct aviation.” Rather than limiting flights to conventional airports, fields, parking lots and other suitable spaces could also be used for takeoffs and landings.
A person has already carried out a demonstration on a 300-foot floating platform in Lower Manhattan, New York, which is used for helicopter parking. An Electra study estimates that a trip from a parking lot in Washington to a heliport in New York could take about one hour and 45 minutes, faster than driving or taking a conventional flight.
Certification and flight regulations remain among the project’s main obstacles. Aleksander Buczkowski, a director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, stresses that new aviation technologies must also prove their economic viability by controlling aircraft prices and ensuring their use in day-to-day operations.
Electra says it has received more than 2,200 pre-orders for the EL9 from more than 60 air operators worldwide. The total value of those orders is about $1.5 billion.
Commercial services are targeted to begin in 2030. Meanwhile, tests of the EL2 prototype at five locations in Norway are expected to start in late 2027. The company has also planned an $850 million manufacturing plant in Springfield, Ohio, covering about 36 hectares.
The U.S. military has also shown interest in the project. The Air Force, Army and Navy are among its contracted customers, while Electra executives believe the technology could eventually be used to deliver military equipment and supplies to remote areas.
Despite its potential, the projected price of about $10 million for commercial models means the aircraft is not expected to be affordable for private pilots in the near future.
