Italian aircraft manufacturer Leonardo is nearing certification for a civilian tiltrotor aircraft called the AW609.

The first of its kind in the civilian market, the nine-seater aircraft merges the best features of an aircraft with a helicopter.

The bird has a range of 700-1,000 nautical miles with the ability to connect city pairs such as New York-Chicago, San Francisco-Seattle, and Tokyo-Seoul with ease.

Its ability to vertically take-off and land also means the AW609 can use heliports in downtown areas instead of distant airports.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Vertical take-off and land aircraft have proven to be the future of urban air mobility with companies like Uber and Blade offering intra-city helicopter flights that minimize commute times and maximize convenience.

While helicopters are the primary form of transport for urban air mobility, one company is on the verge of receiving certification for a never-before-seen type of civilian aircraft that now only has the capability of upending the mode of transportation altogether.

Italian aerospace and defense manufacturer Leonardo Company, whose products include the iconic AgustaWestland helicopters, is nearing the end of the certification process for its AW609 tiltrotor aircraft. The first commercial aircraft of its kind, the AW609 takes technology currently found on military aircraft with no widespread civilian use.

The AW609 merges the best features of a helicopter and airplane. The vertical take-off and land capabilities enable the aircraft to land at heliports close to downtown areas such as in New York City and Washington, DC or on top of buildings where allowed. Once airborne, the AW609 can transform into a standard airplane by adjusting the direction of its rotors and travel at greater speeds and higher altitudes than a helicopter.

Offering the best of each type of aircraft in terms of range, versatility, and capacity gives the AW609 an advantage unmatched by even the swiftest helicopter or nimblest airplane.

Take a look at the future of urban air mobility.