Scores of electrically powered vertical take-off and landing (evtol) aircraft are under development, heralding a future where air-taxis whisk people from one place to another. The idea is to turn them into hybrids so that, like hybrid cars, they are powered by a combination of an electric motor and a combustion engine. This will make them a bit greener, by improving fuel economy and thus reducing emissions, as happens in a hybrid car. But helicopter hybridisation brings other benefits too, especially when it comes to safety. Will this be more productive and safe?

