Five-seater, all-electric and jet-powered air taxi makes its first test flight in Munich, Germany.

Lilium, the Munich-based startup developing a revolutionary on-demand air taxi service has unveiled its five-seater, all-electric air taxi prototype. In an announcement last week, the German startup said that its jet-powered air taxi has just completed its maiden flight.

In a video provided by the company, the unpiloted aircraft can be seen taking off vertically like a helicopter, hovering briefly, and then landing.

Powered by 36 all-electric jet engines, the full-scale prototype can take-off and land vertically, and travel up to 300 kilometers in one hour, according to the start-up. One can notice the simplicity of the aircraft design, with no tail, no rudder, no propellers or gearbox. In terms of its environmental impact, Lilium boasts it has “zero operating emissions.” 

The jet flew for the first time the early May. The prototype, which is remotely controlled by an operator on the ground, is currently undertaking a series of flight tests.

The tests are a big step for the Munich-based start-up, which hopes to launch a fully operational flying taxi service in multiple cities by 2025 with trial services starting even earlier.

In the field of aerial taxis, the rivaling Uber plans to launch a “shared air transportation” service for urban areas in 2023. The company is working together with partners to launch a small, electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft in Dallas and Los Angeles.

According to CNBC.