Bell Nexus: An Air Taxi You Can BELIEVE in!

In this episode, the Roswell Flight Test Crew speaks with Brad Sparks of Bell about the company's new autonomous air taxi, the Nexus. Incorporating a six-rotor, electric-powered design, the Nexus can cruise at 150 miles per hour and boasts a range of 150 miles. A hybrid, the Nexus uses an internal combustion engine to produce electricity on board to power the flight systems. It also has sufficient battery power to make an emergency landing in the event of an engine failure. Although capable of fully autonomous operations, the Nexus will initially fly with a human pilot on board – to build confidence both among the passengers and regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration. In addition to the pilot, the Bell Nexus is capable of carrying four passengers, with about a 1,000 pound useful load. A VTOL platform, the Nexus is capable of taking off and landing vertically like a helicopter, but one airborne the six rotor nacelles pivot forward and it transitions into forward flight. Bell expects the Nexus to enter commercial service in 2025.