A look at battery-powered aircraft that could lead transition from fossil-fueled flight

The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved the first training program for electric aviation in the U.S., signaling a growing effort to develop environmentally friendly, battery-powered aircraft. This initiative includes the creation of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), which are seen as a potential solution to reduce aviation's carbon footprint, currently responsible for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Beta Technologies, a company based in Vermont, is at the forefront of this shift with its eVTOL aircraft designed to carry cargo and passengers. The company, along with others like Joby Aviation, is working towards producing these aircraft at scale, aiming for autonomous operations in the future. The Pentagon is also evaluating eVTOLs for various logistical applications, indicating significant government and commercial interest in electric aviation's potential.