MagLev Demonstrates Rim-Drive Ducted Fans On Heavy Drone

MagLev Aero demonstrated its HyperDrive rim-driven electric propulsion system during a tethered hover test involving a heavy unmanned aircraft fitted with four Tempest ducted-fan units. The September 2026 experiment evaluated the ability of the electrically powered fans to lift and stabilize the test platform while restrained, an early step toward developing higher-performance vertical-flight aircraft. HyperDrive uses a magnetic-levitation approach to drive fan blades around the duct perimeter rather than relying on a conventional central motor and shaft arrangement. The activity demonstrated controlled lift in a tethered configuration, not untethered flight, an operational drone or a certified production propulsion system.