This sleek electric plane could become part of everyday life in future after being tipped for use by police, taxis, ambulance services as well as search-and-rescue teams. The electric aircraft can take off like a helicopter and land like a plane on runways as short as 100 metres. Swiss company Manta is behind the futuristic-looking aircraft, which comes in single and double-seat configurations. The aircraft, known as the Ann-1 (single seat) and the two-seater Ann-2, have a cruising spend of just under 300kph and a range of more than 600km. The Ann-1 is designed for “personal mobility” and was described as a racer craft that offered extreme performance. Manta has also designed the range with a view to the Ann planes becoming widely used as a shuttle craft to and from superyachts. The Anns are equipped with small, fuel-driven generators that create electricity to make the batteries last longer and speed up the recharging process. The plane is still in the testing phase, with the public being given a taste of what to expect from a three-metre scale model.
