Electra Wins Phase III SBIR Contract with U.S. Air Force to Accelerate Development and Acquisition of eSTOL Aircraft

By echoblue / 08 Feb 2022
Follow AAMi

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Electra.aero, Inc. to support the development of Electra’s hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft. The contract, awarded through the Air Force Agility Prime program, will accelerate Electra’s plan to begin flight testing a full-scale hybrid eSTOL technology demonstrator aircraft later this year, and charts a clear transition path for future Air Force acquisition of Electra’s eSTOL aircraft.

Electra was previously awarded an Agility Prime SBIR Direct-to-Phase II contract earlier last year, which accelerated the development of Electra’s hybrid-electric propulsion system technology. The Agility Prime program aims to champion the innovation and tech transition of electric aircraft into the advanced air mobility market for both military and commercial applications.

“Hybrid-electric STOL technology has the potential to deliver game-changing energy efficiency improvements and meaningful payload and range performance needed for Air Force missions of the future,” said John S. Langford, Founder and CEO of Electra. “We are thrilled to continue our close collaboration with the Agility Prime team and are honored to be selected for this important contract.”

Electra’s unique eSTOL aircraft can operate from spaces as small as 300×100 feet using its patent-pending distributed electric propulsion and blown lift technology. A small turbine-powered generator recharges the batteries mid-flight, eliminating the need for new ground charging infrastructure. The quieter and more environmentally friendly aircraft is currently being designed to transport up to 1,800 pounds of cargo or move 7 to 9 passengers up to 500 miles. Electra’s aircraft can operate in a variety of environments ranging from busy urban areas to remote landing strips, and fly missions ranging from on-demand passenger flights to cargo transportation, search and rescue operations, medical missions, and more.

“Agility Prime is leading the outside-the-box thinking necessary to quickly and affordably deliver disruptive capabilities for national security and other U.S. Government missions like humanitarian aid and disaster relief,” said Ben Marchionna, Electra’s Director of Technology and Innovation. “Hybrid eSTOL aircraft are particularly well-suited to support the Air Force’s agile combat employment doctrine by providing middle- and last-mile island-hopping and distributed cargo logistics in the Indo-Pacific theater or operations in areas with limited infrastructure like Africa.”

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Electra through this Phase III contract award,” said Lieutenant Colonel John “Wasp” Tekell, Air Force Agility Prime Lead. “Electra’s hybrid eSTOL technology has the potential to bring a valuable, differentiated capability to the U.S. Air Force and Joint Partners. We look forward to supporting the rapid development, flight testing, and transition of eSTOL aircraft while continuing to support the development of advanced air mobility.”

Posted by echoblue Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

First Piloted Airport-to-Airport Flight for Winged Tilt-Rotor eVTOL

Vertical Aerospace has completed the world’s first piloted airport-to-airport flight of a full-scale winged eVTOL, showcasing its VX4 at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025

Jul 18, 2025
New Joby Facility Boosts eVTOL Manufacturing Scale

Joby expands aircraft production with a new facility in Marina, California, boosting output, job creation, and readiness for commercial eVTOL operations

Jul 17, 2025
Hydrogen Electric Propulsion Considered for Horizon eVTOL Aircraft

Horizon Aircraft and ZeroAvia will explore integrating hydrogen-electric propulsion into the Cavorite X7 eVTOL, aiming to enable clean, efficient regional air mobility

Jul 16, 2025
Vertical Secures $60 Million to Advance eVTOL Development

Vertical Aerospace has completed its public offering, raising $60 million to progress aviation research, development, and testing capabilities

Jul 15, 2025
Partnership to Explore Air Taxi Services in Ajman

Skyports and Ajman Transport Authority will collaborate on smart aerial mobility, exploring air taxi services and infrastructure development

Jul 14, 2025
LYNEports Collaborates to Accelerate Sustainable UAM Solutions Worldwide

LYNEports is partnering with Eyrie Aero and ELSA Industry to accelerate worldwide UAM through AI-driven vertiport planning, green hydrogen integration, and scalable eVTOL infrastructure solutions

Jul 11, 2025