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Electric rotary aircraft completes first Eglin flight

  • Published
  • By Samuel King Jr.
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  

The Lift Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, completed its first test flight here April 4.

The unmanned aircraft, piloted via remote control, used 18 motors and propellers to fly for approximately 10 minutes and reach a height of about 50 feet.

LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, hovers in the air during its first test flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
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LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, stands ready for its first flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

Jace McCown, LIFT team member, pilots the Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, via remote control April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The LIFT team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res

The aircraft resides with Eglin’s rotary wing test squadron, the 413th Flight Test Squadron, who manages the program under its Agility Prime flight.  The unit provides the coordination, logistics and support for the Lift team’s developmental ground and flight testing operations.

“This is an opportunity to leverage some of the unit’s expertise with rotary aircraft and apply it to this new field of electric propulsion aircraft,” said Maj. Riley Livermore, 413th FLTS futures flight commander.   

LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

LIFT team members bring out the batteries that power the Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, prior to its first test flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The LIFT team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, hovers in the air

First flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, hovers in the air during its first test flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 4, 2022. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, lifts off for its first test flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res

LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, lifts off for its first test flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

A LIFT team member secures a battery to one of the Hexa’s motors before its first flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, hovers in the air during its first test flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res

LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

Jace McCown, LIFT team member, pilots the Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, via remote control April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The LIFT team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

A LIFT team member secures a battery to one of the Hexa’s motors before its first flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
LIFT first flight

LIFT first flight

The Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, hovers in the air during its first test flight April 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Hexa team completed the aircraft’s first unmanned flight test via remote control. The aircraft, which used 18 motors and propellors, flew for approximately 10 minutes and reached a height of about 50 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Photo Details / Download Hi-Res