Started in 2017, Matt Chasen’s Lift Aircraft has been promoting an 18-rotor, single-seat Hexa – now replaced by the new, improved Hexa 2. Featuring more power, better batteries, improved structure and more refined electronics, the 2 seems like a reflection of the improvements generally available to electric aircraft.
According to the company, “HEXA was the first eVTOL(electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft to enter production and pay-per-flight operations in the United States. We’ve produced a fleet of 16 aircraft and have showcased them in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In 2023, we launched the world’s first pay-per-flight eVTOL operations in Austin, Texas, and in 2024 we launched our 25 city U.S. tour.”
Because it’s an ultralight, Hexa 2 avoids many of the complexities of certification and that enables more frequent updates and application of improved technologies.
Hexa has been demonstrated at multiple air and trade shows, and even provided a ride for news personality Anderson Cooper. Since then, the craft has undergone continual tuning and refinement, ending up at the Hexa 2.
More Power
Increasing propeller areas 10 percent with 42-inch diameter carbon blades and changing blade angles to 16 degrees of pitch helps create higher thrust at lower RPM and more efficient operations. Lower revs translate to lower noise, a major factor for eVTOLs flown in urban environments. Winglets on the propeller tips reduce tip vortices, improve maximum thrust 33 percent, increase flight times by 20 percent, and lower noise levels 15 to 25 percent.
In a first, Hexa is introducing custom designed, in-house, 200 Amperes Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs), “Leveraging state-of-the-art field oriented control (FOC), which provides for much smoother (sine-wave), more powerful (20%), more efficient (6%), and significantly quieter motor control.” Redundant communications come from, “A native dual-CANbus (Controller Area Network bus), RS485, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) interface offers redundant communications and improved cooling.
Better Batteries (Optional So Far)
Lift Aircraft is, “Thrilled to announce that we’re developing breakthrough, extended range battery packs leveraging the latest lithium battery chemistries. With up to twice the energy density, HEXA 2 ER will have twice the flight time (up to 30 minutes!). HEXA 2 ER (Extended Range) is expected to be released in 2025.”
Each motor has a battery attached to it. New optional batteries will double range and endurance to 30 minutes
More Refined Electronics
Upgraded weatherization to IP 64 allows HEXA to operate in more diverse weather conditions including precipitation, condensation, and heavy dust conditions.
Flight Control Computers
HEXA 2 incorporates a triple redundant autopilot with a “60-percent improvement in computational bandwidth, an upgraded ground control station software system, new automation and fine tuning controls, as well as improved thermal management allowing HEXA to fly reliably in extreme temperatures.”
“Additional upgrades to HEXA’s avionics include improved sensors, providing greater accuracy, reliability, and interference resilience. A new, dual antenna GNSS (Global navigation satellite system)-Aided Inertial Navigation System combines MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), inertial sensors, two high-sensitivity GNSS receivers, and advanced Kalman filtering algorithms to provide improved estimates of position, velocity, and orientation. Utilizing two separate GNSS receivers and antennas enables accurate heading measurements without reliance on vehicle dynamics or interference prone magnetic sensors.”
This level of sophistication probably accounts for the little machine’s $495,000 asking price. Before making that kind of commitment, potential buyers can sample the entire programs with a test flight experience, currently being offered in different cities as part of that nation-wide tour. The increased range possible with better batteries might take the Hexa out of the joy-ride fun machine category and turn it into a useful commuter.