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Solid-state battery electric aircraft completes first crewed test flight

An electric aircraft equipped with solid-state batteries has successfully completed a crewed test flight, a step seen as supporting potential commercial use beyond electric cars. Helios Horizon said the June 6 flight carried a chief test pilot and focused on weight distribution and handling rather than range. The aircraft flew below about 500 feet at up to 60 mph. The company said its battery pack cost about $30,000 and used commercially available cells.