PHOTO: MAGNIX
A joint agreement between the Robinson Helicopter Company and electric aircraft pioneers magniX to demonstrate the technological capabilities and commitment to zero-emission and affordable aviation will lead to the first flight of a battery-powered electric helicopter based on a R66 platform. The first flight of the demonstrator is scheduled for late 2026.
magniX will provide its fully integrated electric powertrain designed for helicopters, including the first of its range of lightweight, high speed HeliStorm engines, which have been specifically designed for rotorcraft applications. It will also share its Samson batteries, which the company claims have the highest energy density in aerospace and unmatched cycle life.
“We are excited to be working with Robinson to lead the transformation of the helicopter industry by creating the next generation of vertical lift propulsion systems,” said Reed Macdonald, CEO of magniX.
In 2022, magniX powered the first flight of a retrofitted electric Robinson R44 helicopter, followed in March 2025 with the world’s first piloted flight by a hydrogen-electric helicopter, another retrofitted R44. Both companies hope that the electrification of the R66 – one of the world’s most ubiquitous helicopters with over 1,500 in service and more than 100 sold every year – will revolutionise the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) market with its single rotor simplicity.
