Podcast: Alaka’i Skai Fuel Cell Powered eVTOL

Alaka’i Technologies debuted Skai, a hydrogen fuel cell powered electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) system last May. In this podcast, recorded at AirVenture, Alaka’i Technologies board member and former NASA director Bruce Holmes discusses fuel cell technology, the challenges involved with certifying a new kind of aircraft and the company’s approach to the urban air mobility market.

According to Alaka’i, the Skai eVTOL will have an endurance of up to four flight hours, payload of 1,000 pounds and range of about 400 miles. The five-seat aircraft is designed to fly at speeds of up to 118 MPH and refuel in under 10 minutes. It will be capable of piloted, ground-piloted and fully autonomous flight. The company says features will include a whole-airframe parachute, six-rotor propulsion system, triple redundant autopilot and “fly-by-light fiber optics based controls for EMI and lightning protection.”