The Israeli company eVTOL AIR announcement Tuesday that its inaugural vehicle, AIR ONE, successfully completed its first hover after receiving a certificate of airworthiness.

The 868 kg (1,914 lb) full-size prototype took off in the green fields of Kibbutz Meggido in northern Israel, southeast of Haifa, on Tuesday, June 21 at 7 a.m. Israel time .

The aircraft hovered several times throughout the day and the next two weeks, taking off safely, hovering in place and returning to the ground, operating optimally in a stable flight envelope.

The company said all of the aircraft’s systems worked as expected, providing full control and stability. AIR ONE’s power consumption during the flight was exactly as expected, demonstrating its ability to perform the expected performance metrics. AIR plans to expand full flight envelope testing throughout 2022.

Founded by Chen Rosen and later joined by Netanel Goldberg and Rani Plaut and based in Pardes Hanna, near Tel Aviv, AIR began designing prototypes in 2017 and began testing system functionality in 2019. According to the company, its flagship model is designed for individuals. transport and accommodate up to two passengers, running solely on electricity. It is capable of traveling 110 miles (177 km) on a single charge at speeds as high as 155 miles per hour (250 km per hour). As an eVTOL, AIR ONE has the ability to take off and land on any flat surface.

“It was truly impressive to see AIR ONE take off for the first time. We’ve been on this upward journey for nearly five years and can’t wait for the public to join us on this journey,” said Rani Plaut, CEO and co-founder of AIR “This milestone secures AIR’s place as a market leader in the personal air mobility space, making the thrill of flight achievable every day. We look forward to continued growth as we we are embarking on the next phase of development.”

With over 150 AIR ONE pre-orders already secured, AIR continues to accept advance orders on its website,