The first ever electric-powered cross-Channel flight has completed a successful flight from Lydd to Calais.

The aeroplane, being developed by aircraft manufacturer Airbus at a cost of £14.73 million, made its UK debut at the Marsh airport at 9.17am today.

The E-Fan made its maiden flight to Calais, landing just before 10am.

The prototype two-seater is an almost-silent battery-powered aircraft capable of flying at 125mph.

Invited guests were able to monitor its progress through a live on-site broadcast.

A spokesman for Airbus said: “The flight follows in the footsteps of Louis Bleriot, who became the first person to fly across the Channel in 1909.

Watch: E-Fan prepares to take cross-Channel flight

"It will pave the way for future electric-powered aviation and will be an important milestone in the development of the E-Fan aircraft.”

The E-Fan 2.0 was displayed at the Paris Air Show last month.

It weighs slightly more than half a tonne and has batteries in its 31ft wings, as well as dual electric motors with a total power of 60 kilowatts.

It can fly for an hour and is CO2 emission-free. Airbus plans to construct a final assembly line for the E-Fan at Pau in south-west France.

The plan is for an all-electric two-seater to enter service by early 2018.

Initially, flight schools are expected to use the aircraft and it is ideal for aero clubs who are keen on noise reduction for their flights.

A larger, four-seat E-Fan 4.0 is scheduled to arrive in 2019. It will be offered for the general aviation market and Airbus’s long-term plan is to produce electric regional airliners and helicopters.

The E-Fan 4.0 will have a longer range and will be able to recharge batteries during flight and carry navigation capabilities. This would allow a flight time of more than three hours.

The ultimate goal is a 100-seat electric aircraft, but that is not expected to happen until the 2050s.

These aircraft are seen as an important development as air travel increases and concern increase about aircraft noise and pollution.