Autonomous Flight, a Kent (just outside London, UK)-based electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) startup, raised £5M ($7M) as part of a £25M Series A funding round.
Founded in 2017 by serial tech entrepreneur Martin Warner, Autonomous Flight is building the Y6S Plus– a battery-powered flying aircraft to facilitate short-range transportation in urban areas.
The six-seater Y6S Plus is being designed to reach cruise speeds of 200km/h (125 mph) and will have a range of 130km (100 mi) on a single charge. A concept prototype has been designed (Y6S) and Autonomous Flight is planning to launch the Y6S Plus in 2023.
The funding comes at an important stage in the development and testing of the Y6S Plus. The flying vehicle has just completed its full simulation test and provides the first views of how the Y6S Plus will fly.
The Y6S Plus will be initially launched in the UK and US, with plans for a global rollout in the coming decade.
Martin Warner co-founded botObjects, a 3D printing software and hardware manufacturer, which was acquired for $50 million by 3D Systems Inc just 17 months after its launch. He has published over 120 patents, built a dozen innovative products, and has helped more than 250,000 entrepreneurs through his Entrepreneur Seminar program.
Warner is also the founder of Parcel Fly – an air logistics software company that enables retailers, logistics companies, governments, and aid organisations to manage the point-to-point delivery of parcels by air.
Other companies under his leadership include Flix Premiere, a streaming platform for independent movies.
FinSMEs
27/04/2021