TeTra aviation

Based in Tokyo, Japan, TeTra Aviation is a venture-backed aerospace company established in June 2018 by President and CEO Tasuku Nakai. The company focuses on the research, development, manufacturing, and sale of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for the burgeoning urban air mobility market. A key milestone was achieved in February 2020 when TeTra won the prestigious Pratt & Whitney Disruptor Award at the GoFly competition, which was sponsored by Boeing.

TeTra is developing the Mk-5, a single-passenger, fully electric eVTOL designed as a personal aircraft. The aircraft is notable for its hybrid propulsion system, which utilizes 32 propellers for vertical lift and a single rear pusher propeller for horizontal flight. This design avoids the complexity of tilt-rotor mechanisms. The fuselage combines carbon fiber composite and aluminum to achieve a balance of high strength and low weight. For safety, the aircraft employs Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), ensuring that the failure of one or more electric motors can be compensated for by the others to allow for a controlled landing. The initial production models are targeted to have a range and cruise speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) and a flight time of one hour.

The company's business model centers on selling its eVTOL aircraft as kit planes, primarily targeting individuals in the United States, where it would be classified under the experimental aircraft category. Pre-orders for the Mk-5 and the forthcoming Mk-7 model are available through its website. TeTra became the first Japanese company to receive a test flight permit from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an eVTOL, conducting its first successful unmanned flight test in California in August 2021. The company is also exploring future applications, including providing aircraft for on-demand mobility services, potentially for events like the 2025 Osaka Expo.

Keywords: eVTOL, urban air mobility, personal aircraft, electric aircraft, vertical takeoff and landing, kit plane, aerospace manufacturing, Distributed Electric Propulsion, Tasuku Nakai, Mk-5, Tokyo startup, GoFly Prize, personal transportation, aviation technology, carbon fiber composite, experimental aircraft, FAA certification, flight test, aircraft development, air mobility