This is the only solely ion propelled series of aircrafts that can lift their power supplies against earth’s gravity. These prototypes were patented specifically for lifting their onboard power supplies and the widely published patent has been in effect since 2014.

While the craft wasn’t working at full power for this test footage since their was a power loss, the safety tether still went completely loose when the craft was energized, and it is also shown flying outdoors. There is an indoor flight that lasted for almost 2 minutes continually when it was flying at its best. There is a video of that and other sustained flights on this YouTube channel.

Previously all heavier than air ion propelled aircrafts had to be connected through thin wires to large heavy power supplies that remained fixed to the ground.

This series of prototypes have been independently verified to fly with onboard power since 2006. It was necessary to increase the EAD thrust to weight ratio by several orders of magnitude as well as other upgrades to get it operational.

Here is a link to a broadcast about the craft with the host of NPR Jeff Saint Clair. His article and radio program certifies fist hand, that this ion propelled aircraft US Patent number 10119, 527, lifts its power supply:

https://radio.wosu.org/post/exploradio-oberlin-inventor-push…t#stream/0

A huge container ship blocking the Suez Canal like a “beached whale” may take weeks to free, the salvage company said, as officials stopped all ships entering the channel on Thursday in a new setback for global trade. The 400 metre Ever Given, almost as long as the Empire State Building is high, is blocking transit in both directions through one of the world’s busiest shipping channels for oil and refined fuels, grain and other trade linking Asia and Europe. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said earlier that nine tugs were working to move the vessel, which got stuck diagonally across the single-lane southern stretch of the canal on Tuesday morning amid high winds and a dust storm.