As you'll recall, Cora is an all-electric vehicle that gets into the air with 12 independent lift fans, and then flies as a single-propeller fixed-wing aircraft. It's capable of traveling at up to 110 MPH with a range of about 62 miles, so it's not likely to challenge Air New Zealand's existing jets. Since it doesn't need a runway or a pilot, the plan is that it would be far more accessible than any other form of air travel.

Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon said in a statement that "Both companies see the potential for our airspace to free people from the constraints of traffic and its associated social, economic and environmental impacts. Through the development of their autonomous electric air taxi Cora, the possibility of getting from A to B quickly and safely, and also relieving the impact of polluting emissions, is very real indeed."

When it revealed itself in March, Zephyr said that it started self-piloted testing late last year and recently opened a hangar in New Zealand, but it still has not established a timeframe for public flights.