It looks like a fighter plane, falls into the category of "flying taxis" and its design makes a leap forward into the future. ATEA, the hybrid aircraft of the French company Ascendance Flight Technologies , based in Toulouse, became a little more real in early December when the startup unveiled new images of the device, but also gave information on its future characteristics. 

Initially, the machine will be equipped with a hybrid power supply, both thermal (with kerosene) and electric. If this system would already make it possible to reduce carbon emissions by 80% compared to a helicopter, in the long term, the startup intends to replace thermal energy with hydrogen or with biofuels. The five-seater plane, designed for short journeys (in large cities or within the same region for example), will have a range of 400 kilometers. It can be used for transport, tourism, the medical sector or even surveillance.

The startup, however, did not indicate anything about the speed of the machine. The eight rotors, located at the level of the two fixed wings, would make it possible to increase the power of the aircraft during the take-off and landing phases. Ascendance Flight Technologies, which recently raised 10 million euros, plans to build a first prototype by 2023 and start the first tests immediately. The startup indicates that the first public flights could take place as early as 2024, especially during the Olympics, and that large-scale production will begin the following year in 2025.

The French company must however wait for the European Union to advance on regulations concerning flying taxis and future air mobility. The EU has launched a two-year program to test several devices (drones, VTOLs, etc.) in different sectors in order to "  establish a new regulatory framework for urban air mobility  ", explains the Usine Digitale . It may still take time, especially to regulate airspace, and find the best ways to bring everyone together. But clearly, 2024 is expected to be a pivotal time for the industry.

More info on the official website.