This £130k private jet can take off vertically and can reach up to 200mph

An aviation firm says its new cut-price two-seater plane that can take off vertically could "have a transformative effect".


The S2 features 16 propellers which let it take off vertically

Fancy commuting to work in a hybrid plane?

An aviation firm says its new cut-price two-seater plane that can take off vertically could be your answer.

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Most planes need runways to take off, ruling them out as an option for people with just a garden.

But Joby Aviation's S2 VTOL aircraft is fitted with 16 propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically.

Once it reaches cruising altitude and speed, they fold away into aerodynamic bullet shapes.

It can then reach 200mph using four cruise-optimised props on the backs of the wings.


It can reach 200mph using cruise-optimised props on the backs of the wings

The propellers are electric, meaning they are not as noisy as a helicopter takeoff, so you won't annoy your neighbours.

While private jets cost millions, Joby Aviation says it thinks it can produce the S2 for just $200,000 (£133,000) each.

Because the aircraft is powered by electricity rather than fuel, the firm says its economical to run.

It also needs five times less energy than traditional flight modes, meaning it is more environmentally friendly.

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In an interview with ReadWrite, Joby Aviation founder JoeBen Bevrit said: "If we can build an aircraft which is quiet, safe, and efficient, and you get door-to-door at five times the speed of ground transport, it will radically change life.

"It will have a transformative effect."

SKY