New Electric Powered Glider Aircraft Starts Testing By Whisper Aero Here is something totally different that is currently in development. It is a glider-like aircraft that is fully-electric. The company is called Whisper Aero and their project is using their electric ducted-fan propulsion on the aircraft. The Whisper Ultralight is a retrofit of an Aériane Swift3 glider with two of Whisper’s eQ250 propulsors, capable of 80 lbf each.
Up until late August, 2026 we know the company has conducted at least 3 test flights so far. Earlier this year, Whisper began flying the Swift in Tennessee under an experimental airworthiness certificate before installing the propulsion system. Test pilot Zac Majors completed three flights totaling 130 minutes. “ could really do whatever I wanted with it,” Majors said. “I look forward to flying it again.”
Battery modules from Electric Power Systems (EPS) will power the glider for demonstration flights. With EPS EPiC 1.0 power batteries, the powered-on flight range is 109 miles. In the future, more powerful and energy-dense EPiC 2.0 batteries will allow the craft to fly to 170 miles the company suggests. Whisper projected a cruise speed of 42 to 55-knots, a climb rate of 1,250 feet per minute.
The use case for this will be more towards private customers, however, The Whisper Ultralight also opens the door to new US Department of Defense opportunities. Earlier this year, Whisper tested the propulsors it is retrofitting on its glider statically at White Sands Missile Range’s Acoustic Range Complex (WSMR ARC). Results were breathtaking for Whisper and its customers. For more information: Whisper Aero 199 Henry Street, Crossville, TN 38555 www.whisper.aero ***
