Electra.aero Nabs $1.9M Army Contract for Electric Aircraft Testing

The manufacturer’s flagship, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft requires only the space of a soccer field to launch and touch down.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 03:54 PM ET

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A technology demonstrator of Electra’s nine-passenger, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft takes flight. [Courtesy: Electra.aero]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Army is collaborating with Electra.aero to test its nine-passenger, hybrid-electric Short Takeoff and Landing (eSTOL) aircraft for logistics operations in contested environments.
The eSTOL aircraft is designed for extremely short takeoffs (150 feet or soccer field-sized space) using blown-lift technology, offering greater payload, range, and reduced fuel/noise compared to current military logistics solutions.
Powered by a turbogenerator running on both electricity and traditional fuel, the aircraft can recharge its batteries in flight, eliminating the need for airport charging infrastructure.
Electra intends to certify the eSTOL as a fixed-wing aircraft, simplifying pilot certification, and has already secured over 2,000 commercial preorders with deliveries expected by 2028.

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The U.S. Army will soon begin experimenting with an electric aircraft that needs only a soccer field-sized space to take off and land.

The Army on Thursday awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Electra.aero, the manufacturer of a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) design, to perform powered wind tunnel testing.