Results for: embraer

On day 4 of the Farnborough Airshow this year, EmbraerX’s Eve, which has recently made major strides in developing its eVTOL aircraft, unveiled a mockup of the aircraft’s cabin configuration.

“This mock-up brilliantly materialises the cabin concept we have been co-creating with potential users for years. We recently received feedback from our advisory board, and now we will be able to show it to other stakeholders here at Farnborough Airshow. Our solutions were designed considering essential market needs, such as accessibility, safety, sustainability, and ticket price. It is always exciting when we achieve this stage of the program,” said Flavia Ciaccia, Vice President of User Experience of Eve.

As part of the ongoing product development, the company also presented the current vehicle design that uses a conventional wing and tail instead of the previous canard configuration. The eight lift rotors are fixed around the wing, providing vertical take-off and landing capability as well as safety and reliability in a simple and intuitive lift-and-cruise design.

Andre Stein, Co-CEO of Eve, added: “Our teams have been working hard to create the best solutions for the global urban air mobility environment, and our aviation experience through Embraer not only gives us confidence that we are on the right path but also puts us at the forefront of the market. We’ve been accelerating our resources engagement and evolving the project’s maturity.”

Eve has been dedicated to fostering the UAM market across the globe and committed to enabling the new market sustainably and safely. The Company’s eVTOL will offer communities environment-friendly flights at a lower cost and is expected to enter into service in 2026.

Why it matters: With the industry giant air shows (Farnborough and Paris) recently making their post-COVID returns, many companies in the new aerial mobility industry are using the events to make key news releases. Despite economic headwinds, several eVTOL makers are still posting exciting updates and bringing their aerial mobility visions to reality with flight tests, product mockups, and progressive partnerships.

Source // Eve

Related:

• EVE, Embraer-backed eVTOL startup, now trading on NYSE (July 2022)
• Embraer’s Eve partners with Porsche Consulting to define eVTOL global strategy (June 2022)
• Nautilus and Embraer’s UAM subsidiary Eve partner to develop eVTOL ecosystem in Australia (December 2021)

EVE management participated in ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 10, 2022 by ringing the opening bell in celebration of the public listing. The common stock offering opened at an initial market price of $10.28 and, as of now, trades at approximately $6.60.

Since the public listing, EVE has continued its strategic expansion efforts, announcing partnerships with Porsche Consulting to define eVTOL global strategy and with Kenya Airways to purchase 40 eVTOL Aircraft.

“Today, we celebrate a historic milestone in a journey that we began nearly five years ago in EmbraerX, the market accelerator of Embraer, a leader in the global aviation industry,” said André Stein, Co-CEO of Eve, on the day of the public listing. “This transaction is a key enabler of our mission to become a leading player in a potential $760 billion UAM addressable market, and we thank the entire team at Eve and Embraer for all of their hard work, and our partners at Zanite as well as our other investors for their support,” he said.

Eve has created a comprehensive, practical and capital-efficient UAM solution spanning electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle design and production, service and support, fleet operations and urban air traffic management (UATM).

Meanwhile, Eve’s strategic partnership with Embraer includes a royalty-free license to Embraer’s background IP to be used within the UAM market as well as access to thousands of skilled Embraer employees on a flexible, first priority basis and use of Embraer’s global infrastructure. The strategic alignment with Embraer also provides Eve with important cost and execution advantages as it seeks to scale its UAM solution globally.

“We believe Eve is uniquely positioned to develop, certify and commercialize our UAM solutions on a global scale,” said Jerry DeMuro, Co-CEO of Eve. “Our pipeline of launch orders for 1,825 vehicles secured via non-binding letters of intent from 19 customers consists of industry leaders who also invested in Eve, including Azorra Aviation, Falko Regional Aircraft, Republic Airways and SkyWest, and provides powerful validation of our business strategy and vision.”

Why it’s important: Eve has expressed its dedication to accelerating the UAM ecosystem and benefits from a startup mindset, backed by Embraer’s more than 50-year history of aerospace expertise. With a singular focus, Eve is taking a holistic approach to progressing the UAM ecosystem, with an advanced eVTOL project, a comprehensive global services and support network, and a unique air traffic management solution. The closing of the business combination generated $377 million of gross proceeds, which will be used to accelerate the development, certification and commercialization of Eve’s comprehensive UAM solution.

Source // EVE press release

In the latest announcement of airline eVTOL orders, Kenya Airways subsidiary, Fahari Aviation, has signed a letter of intent for 40 Embraer EVE eVTOL aircraft. It is expected orders will begin in 2026. The two companies will also partner on the market development of aerial mobility in Kenya and conduct studies on the use of cargo drones.

Allan Kilavuka, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Airways, commented on the joint project between the two companies,

“Urban air mobility is the future of transport and we are honoured to be the champions of this in the region. The journey to realise the dream of eVTOL vehicles in Kenya is on course, and the partnership with Eve is a key achievement for us as part of the strategy to adopt new technologies as a growth strategy for the sustainable development of Africa.”

Over the past months, Eve has conducted similar studies in Scandinavia with Widerøe Zero. Embraer’s Eve has also secured major orders with BLADE for up to 60 aircraft.

Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve, commented on the latest agreement with Fahari Aviation,

“This is a new chapter of the Eve and Fahari Aviation partnership to strengthen both companies’ commitment to establishing the foundations that will sustainably support the ecosystem for urban air mobility in Kenya. Last year, we announced a collaboration to develop operational models for Fahari Aviation’s key markets, and today’s announcement confirms that it is evolving successfully.”

Why it matters: Not many developments for the eVTOL space have been yet made public in Africa. Kenya Airway’s order is a significant step and offers an opportunity to expand urban mobility to the continent. While Eve has yet to fly its prototype, the orders show confidence in the aerospace giant, Embraer, and their potential to deliver a safe, secure, and reliable product to its customers.

Eve, the eVTOL development subsidiary of Embraer, has announced partnerships with Corporacíon America Airports and with Falcon Aviation Services to bring tourist and transportation flights to Dubai and cities in Latin America and Europe.

This announcement comes one month after Eve went public on the NYSE, raising an additional $377 million towards creation of this aircraft. 

Above: Rendering of the Eve eVTOL aircraft in flight over Dubai

Eve’s eVTOL aircraft will be fully electric, and able to carry four passengers plus a pilot. In the past two years, Eve has made significant progress by forming partnerships with aircraft operators all over the world, seeking to augment or even replace helicopter services at many of these companies.

On June 9th, Eve announced a partnership with Corporación América Airports, the largest private-sector airport concession operator in the world by number of airports, to ‘design and integrate a service and support ecosystem for Urban Air Mobility’ in Europe and Latin America. Together, Eve and Corporación América Airports will begin assessing the readiness of ground infrastructure for the integration of eVTOL connection services. The eventual goal of this project will be to create eVTOL infrastructure at airports that will allow for direct eVTOL transfers from commercial jet flights, so that passengers can travel directly from airports to their final destinations within major cities. Initial work will be conducted as research of the regulatory requirements and infrastructure needs at airports.

Said Martin Eurnekian, CEO of Corporación América Airports, “The next five years will probably be decisive in how we move from and through cities, and aviation will play a leading role again. Corporación América Airports has always been at the forefront of air transport services and now wants to be a key player in the UAM segment, identifying the challenges and opportunities for better operational, infrastructural and secure contexts. We want to lead the development of the UAM ecosystem, allowing mobility in the third dimension accessible to all, in a more sustainable transportation mode.”

Above: Close-up rendering of the Eve eVTOL aircraft

On June 7th, Eve also announced a partnership with Falcon Aviation Services, a leading private jet and helicopter operator in the Middle East and Africa region, for a pre-order of up to 35 of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft. With deliveries expected to start in 2026, Falcon may become one of the world’s first operators of the Eve aircraft, planning to introduce the first eVTOL services as tourism flights from Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. According to a recent press release, Eve and Falcon will work together with local stakeholders and authorities to eventually transition from tourist flight services to developing an Urban Air Mobility ecosystem for all of the United Arab Emirates.

Captain Ramandeep Oberoi, Chief Operating Officer of Falcon, said: “We are ecstatic to partner with Eve and be the first operator of eVTOL in Dubai & the MENA region. Falcon is actively engaged in Urban Air Mobility emergence and committed to delivering an effective and sustainable new urban transportation mode and providing the community with better and faster solutions. We are particularly proud to take a new step in the UAE, in a project that will be revolutionary for sustainable urban mobility.”

Why it’s important: Together, these two new partnerships will do much to drive forward Eve’s efforts to lay the groundwork for its all-electric aircraft. While other eVTOL developers have a challenge establishing their reputation as new companies, Embraer has a key advantage via its long-time expertise in aircraft development. In the last few years, Eve has been using Embraer’s excellent reputation to steadily add to its growing infrastructure partner list, strengthening the environment for the launch of its aircraft once it is certified.

Source // Eve

Related:

• Embraer’s Eve partners with Porsche Consulting to define eVTOL global strategy
• Eve Lands Order for up to 50 eVTOLs from Aviair and Helispirit
• Eve and Falko to develop Global Operator Network with a potential order for 200 eVTOLs
• Airline Sydney Seaplanes teams up with EmbraerX’s Eve to transition to eVTOLs
• Nautilus and Embraer’s UAM subsidiary Eve partner to develop eVTOL ecosystem in Australia

Eve Holding, Inc., a carve-out from Embraer focused on the development of next-generation Urban Air Mobility (“UAM”) solutions, announced that it has chosen Porsche Consulting, Inc. to help define the eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) supply chain, global manufacturing and logistics macro strategy.

Considering advanced manufacturing research and innovation, the companies will combine their aeronautic and automotive expertise to support Eve’s implementation plan. The master services agreement that has been entered into by and between the companies includes studies on industrial operation, logistics, supply chain and parts distribution in an unprecedented approach optimized for efficiency, productivity and safety. 

The study will address scalability and distributed production as the UAM market evolves to meet projected demand. While digital transformation generates new possibilities for the industry’s use of more agile technologies focusing on business and sustainability goals, comprehensive network solutions are under consideration to meet unique industry needs. 

“We are pleased to work with a leader in the industry that can support us with strategic decision making. The UAM ecosystem is quickly evolving, and we can only achieve our goal if we spark enthusiasm for new ideas in manufacturing and supply chain areas,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve. “I’m looking forward to seeing all of the new opportunities ahead, as technologies are profoundly changing industrial production.” 

“We are very proud of our new partnership with Eve, because we have the opportunity to shape the future of mobility together”, said Rudy Leutz, CEO of Porsche Consulting Ltda. “We share the same values, and with industry-leading know-how, we will be able to question and challenge all existing concepts for logistics and manufacturing. We will redesign the industrialization concept for that new aircraft based on the highest levels of efficiency, quality, safety and customer centricity!”

Why it’s important: Demand for future UAM commercial services is highly contingent on a robust and streamlined infrastructure foundation. Without a large enough threshold of available routes, and ability to efficiently transport passengers to and from their destination, aerial mobility will not be able to match revenue to meet expectations and cover operating costs. This partnership is another step in the UAM industry development that will ensure Eve’s ability to create and match consumer demand.

Source // Eve press release

In an effort to attract talent and technology from independent innovators and startups, Embraer has launched the Energia Initiative. Energia is a family of all-electric, hybrid, and hydrogen fuel-cell aircraft which Embraer will develop in collaboration with outside organizations and innovators.

This week, Embraer announced it has completed its first in-person consortium with independent innovators interested in advancing aerospace technologies. At the event, 16 organizations from across the world were invited to present to Embraer on topics such as electric powertrains, fuel cells, and battery technologies.

“To meet the climate challenge it is essential to encourage every innovation path, not just rely on traditional players. Embraer has a natural affinity with nimble innovators, and we believe the growing eco-system of small, tech-savvy start-ups have a huge contribution to make – if given the opportunity.” said Carlos Illario of Embraer. “We do not underestimate the scale of the challenge. Some of the technologies aviation needs are yet to be discovered. So, it is essential to harness all the world’s available talent to find answers that work, are affordable, and practical in the real world.”

With the first startup day wrapped up, Embraer hopes to extend invitations to organizations with business ideas to innovate in cabin systems, connectivity, ground handling, and more. Embraer’s Energia Initiative will likely become a powerful voice for helping transform commercial aviation and will surely have trickling effects into eVTOL technologies and aerial mobility applications.

Above: Embraer’s vision for the company’s future hybrid-electric, all-electric, and hydrogen cell aircraft.

Why it matters: Advancements in propulsion powertrains and battery technologies will be critical to realizing and commercialization of urban aerial mobility. By inviting outsiders to collaborate in the future of its aviation products, Embraer is showing its commitment to furthering these technologies through innovative development practices.

Embraer has concluded a series of experimental flights in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil per a company news release, focused on evaluating new autonomous system technologies in real flight conditions. The goal is to enable safe autonomous operation in complex urban environments.

The aerial data collection and real-time evaluation of autonomous flight technologies in urban scenarios used traditional piloted helicopters as part of the Embraer Autonomous Systems project (“Project EASy”), which uses agile testing processes for the development of solutions that will enable autonomous aviation in the near future.

Embraer worked with Eve, an Embraer company dedicated to accelerating the Urban Air Mobility ecosystem, and in direct collaboration with partners Daedalean, Iris Automation and Near Earth Autonomy for seven full days. During this time, the companies explored nominal and edge-case scenarios for take-off, climb, cruise, approach and landing flight phases. The helicopters from Helisul Aviação, an Eve partner for UAM development in Brazil, were controlled by professional pilots at all times while systems captured data and performed real-time calculations.

“This project allowed us to evaluate technologies in real-time and also collect lots of data that will later be used in simulations,” said Julio Bolzani, Head of Autonomous Systems at Embraer. “It is important to note that we are not going straight to fully autonomous operations. As Eve begins operations, pilots will be on board and will also benefit from the application of these technologies through a safer and simplified vehicle operation until we reach a fully certified autonomous flight system for Urban Air Mobility.”

This experimental process is also connected to the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) coordinated by Eve since 2021, in cooperation with strategic partners and government entities to convert this acquired knowledge into working data and analysis framework to guide all operational aspects of the future of urban aerial mobility.

See Embraer’s full vision for urban aerial mobility below:

“All information and data raised in this project, as well as the technical solutions under development, will set the path for fully autonomous flight of eVTOLs in the future,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve. “We are thrilled with all operational aspects exercised and data acquired in this project and its direct connection to our CONOPS. These are solid steps for safely introducing future autonomous operations and accelerating the affordability and growth of the UAM market.”

Why it matters: Embraer’s Eve eVTOL has already amassed impressive orders from BLADE and other eVTOL operators. Given recent partnerships, Eve is poised to be the leading eVTOL manufacturer in Central and South America, with the potential to compete against American and European counterparts. Eve has yet to build and fly its prototype, but this series of demonstrations of their autonomous technologies should bring them one major step closer.

With this latest agreement, Sydney Seaplanes has ordered 50 Eve aircraft from Embraer, and has furthered Sydney’s progress towards 100% electric flight in tourism and commuter flights.

EmbraerX’s ‘Eve’ eVTOL rendered flying over Sydney’s main harbor

Sydney Seaplanes, the largest seaplane operator in Australia, has made a massive commitment to the future of Sydney’s aviation by placing a pre-order for 50 of EmbraerX’s ‘Eve’ eVTOLs, and by partnering with Embraer to begin integrating air taxi operations into Greater Sydney.

The combination tourism and commuter airline has been offering flights out of Sydney Harbor since 2005, starting with a single de Haviland Beaver, and has worked its way up to serving over 27,000 passengers per year.

Said Aaron Shaw, CEO of Sydney Seaplanes, “Eve’s eVTOL technology will integrate seamlessly with our electric amphibious fleet to deliver a range of tourism and commuter journeys. Subject to community consultation, we expect some flights will operate from our iconic Rose Bay aviation terminal in Sydney Harbour. This service will have a widespread appeal which will allow us to open new routes beyond the Harbour and throughout the greater Sydney region”.

A Sydney Seaplanes aircraft flies over Sydney’s main harbor, offering both schenic and commuter flights.

Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve Urban Air Mobility stated, “We are pleased to support Sydney Seaplanes as they seek to bring new mobility solutions to Sydney. The Greater Sydney market offers significant potential for scaled Urban Air Mobility operations, to make the most of the iconic beauty of Sydney Harbour and to improve the efficiency of movement to complement existing transport modes. Eve will support this new partnership with comprehensive solutions for aircraft operations including air traffic management solutions, maintenance, training, and other services.”

Notably, this is not the first partnership Eve has made with an Australian company. Just this month, eve also partnered with Northern Australia’s largest helicopter operator, Nautilus Aviation, also to begin integrating Eve aircraft into its fleet. In addition, Skyportz and Australian helicopter operator Microflite have also established a partnership to begin building advanced air mobility solutions for Australia, which will likely support eVTOL and electric aircraft efforts.

Initial develiveries of Eve eVTOL aircraft to Sydney Seaplanes are expected to begin by 2026.

Why it’s important: In creating a significant partnership with Sydney Seaplanes, EmbraerX’s Eve has further established roots in Australia to build its vision for aerial mobility in the country. With Australia giving such a positive reception and even governmental efforts toward all-electric flight solutions, Eve can optimistically hope to begin its first air taxi offerings in Greater Sydney.

Source // Sydney Seaplanes, Eve Air Mobility

Related:

• Nautilus and Embraer’s UAM subsidiary Eve partner to develop eVTOL ecosystem in Australia
• Skyportz and Microflite to Collaborate on Establishing Australian Vertiport Network
• Skyportz Partners with Parking Australia for Flying Taxi Infrastructure
• Avantto orders 100 eVTOL aircraft from Embraer subsidiary Eve

Eve Urban Air Mobility, a subsidiary of Embraer, and Aviation Management Services – Serviços Aeronáuticos Ltda (“Avantto”) have signed a Letter of Intention and announced a partnership aimed at developing the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem in Latin America. This partnership includes an order for 100 of Eve’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as well as a collaboration to develop a new eVTOL operation in Brazil and across Latin America. Deliveries are expected to start in 2026.

Avantto and Eve will collaborate to develop new services and procedures that, together with communities and other industry stakeholders, can create a safe and scalable environment for eVTOL operations to expand. These efforts will focus on critical aspects of the passenger experience in order to design for all users, including how to maximize accessibility and inclusiveness in vertiports and eVTOL boarding operations.

Related: Ascent Partners with Embraer for 100 Eve eVTOLs

“Avantto has been a great partner for Embraer Executive Jets, and we are reinforcing this bond with a shared focus on sustainability in this next generation of transportation. The strength of Avantto’s experience in operations, coupled with their growth strategy, make an ideal partner for the future expansion of Eve’s eVTOL deployment in Brazil and across Latin America. We will work together to make sure we continue our mission to democratize aviation through increasing accessibility and affordability,” said Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve.

Eve’s zero-emission and low noise eVTOL represents a simple and intuitive design that continues to reach development milestones, including the first flight of the engineering simulator in July 2020, and a proof of concept in October 2020. Additionally, Eve’s Urban Air Traffic Management project reached a new milestone in its collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to develop a scalable environment needed to host UAM flights.

Why it’s important: Avantto has over a decade of experience developing unique software, systems, and procedures enabling the company to offer 24/7 on-call flight services for short-haul intra-city helicopter transportation to its hundreds of active members. In parallel with Embraer’s more than 50-year history of aircraft manufacturing and certification expertise, this exclusive know-how will be pivotal in the success of the EVE/Avantto partnership.

Source // Eve press release

Bristow Group is one of the world’s leading operators of helicopters provided for government and civil organizations worldwide, oil and gas customers needing offshore transportation, and search and rescue aircraft support. Its current fleet includes approximately 240 of the helicopter industry’s most modern aircraft, providing services in areas like Africa, the Americas, Australia, and several countries in Europe.

The Vertical Aerospace VA-X4 (Left) and EmbraerX’s Eve eVTOL (right) featured with Bristow’s signature branding.

Both Vertical Aerospace and EmbraerX have started to see more and more traction within the last year. After unveiling the VA-X4, Vertical Aerospace went public with a $2.2bn merger and formed partnerships with American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Avalan. Meanwhile, EmbraerX’s Eve division with Ascent Air Mobility for operations in the Asia-Pacific Region, and with popular urban air mobility provider BLADE Urban Air Mobility in the U.S, which currently provides urban transportation using helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Now, both companies have added yet another massive pre-order set and key partner to their growing lists. Bristow Group represents a major segment of vertical air transportation the world over. Bristow has signed an MoU with Vertical Aerospace for up to 50 eVTOL aircraft, and will not only purchase these aircraft from Vertical once available, but also will also aid Vertical with regulatory certification, infrastructure, and environmental requirements for the VA-X4. With EmbraerX, Bristow placed an order for up to 100 eVTOL aircraft, and will assist Embraer with operations development, vertiport design, regulatory development, and even autonomous operations development. According to Bristol, it will use both Vertical and EmbraerX’s new aircraft to expand into new markets for the company, including a focus on commercial air taxi flight operations.

Example of Bristow’s current large helicopter fleet

Said Bristow President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Bradshaw, “Our MOU with Vertical allows us to build upon our leadership position in the vertical transportation market for the past 70+ years and now sets the stage for the disruptive advantages of the VA-X4 with its zero carbon emissions and low operating costs for passenger transport. Our expansion into these new and existing geographic markets with sustainable, innovative and efficient vertical lift and aerial transport services will offer passengers superior regional air mobility solutions” (September 21st, 2021).

He added, “The strategic MOU (with Eve) outlines the continued development of a comprehensive UAM model between Bristow and Eve for an eVTOL that could potentially reshape the market for all electric vertical lift with zero-emissions and lower operating costs. This allows us to expand our expertise to provide sustainable, innovative and efficient vertical lift into new potential end markets” (September 23rd, 2021)

Why it’s important: With this move, Bristow is signaling its intention to transition from traditional helicopters to all-electric eVTOLs. It has demonstrated this commitment by not only placing orders, but also by partnering with Vertical and Embraer for infrastructure and regulatory development. In addition, with this move, the company is announcing its plans to expand from its current operations into the commercial eVTOL air taxi market, thus marking itself as another key company in the playing field of eVTOL air taxi operators.

Source // Bristow Group

Related:

• Vertical Aerospace to go Public with a $2.2b Merger
• Ascent Partners with Embraer for 100 Eve eVTOLs
• EmbraerX’s Eve to Provide BLADE with up to 60 eVTOL Aircraft

Blade Air Mobility, Inc. (“Blade”, NASDAQ: BLDE) and Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, Inc. (“Eve”), a subsidiary of Embraer S.A. (“Embraer,” NYSE: ERJ), have announced an arrangement for Eve to provide Blade up to 60,000 hours of flight time per year on its EVA (electric vertical aircraft) beginning in 2026 for use in Southern Florida and West Coast markets.

Eve’s concept aircraft. Proof of concept prototype took flight in October 2020.

This marks Eve’s second partnership with an aerial mobility operator, having recently partnered with Ascent Urban Air Mobility for markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The aircraft’s design is impressive, with 8 vertical lift propellers, 2 pusher propellers, and room for 4 passengers plus a pilot. Dedicated thought was given to the aircraft’s aerodynamic design and cabin, giving it a fixed wing to increase range in forward flight, and an accessible and spacious cabin for passengers.

As an organization, Eve offers both its aircraft,and its Urban Air Traffic Management system, which recently reached a new milestone in its collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority to develop a scalable environment needed to host UAM flights.

Eve plans to deploy, together with local partners, up to 60 aircraft for Blade’s use throughout the United States beginning in 2026. Blade will pay for flight time utilized on Eve’s aircraft, which will be made available by Eve and other third-parties. The deployment of Eve aircraft across the Blade network is subject to the parties entering into definitive final agreements.

Said Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade: “Blade is pleased to partner with Eve, leveraging Embraer’s deep aerospace expertise to provide Blade with quiet, zero-carbon, electric aircraft. Eve’s aircraft provides ideal operating economics for Blade’s shorter distance routes, adding to our three other recently announced EVA partnerships which, together, can optimize service for Blade’s wide variety of mission profiles and regional hubs.”

Said  Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve: “Blade is aligned with our mission as they have created a platform that provides the user seamless access to Urban Air Mobility, and now with Eve to provide an experience that is quiet and without emissions. The company’s platform will be instrumental in deploying our aircraft in key markets in South Florida and the West Coast of the United States. This partnership with Blade is the next step in unlocking the future of mobility in these key areas and marks an exciting time for both companies.”

Why it’s important: The partnership with Eve represents BLADE’s third agreement with an eVTOL development and manufacturing partner, and its fourth with electric aircraft developers overall. Other notable partners for aircraft include Beta Technologies, MagniX, and Wisk. With this announcement, BLADE adds Embraer, an aircraft developer with over 50 years of experience, to its upcoming repertoire of aircraft providers. Through these partnerships, BLADE positions itself as a foremost service provider for the rapidly approaching electric aerial mobility market.

Source // BLADE Air Mobility

Related:

• Blade Partners with magniX for Electrification of Lima Cessnas
• Wisk and BLADE Partner for Key UAM Routes
• BLADE Announces Deal for Operator’s Order of up to 20 BETA EVA’s
• EmbraerX’s Eve Urban Air Mobility Partners with Ascent for Asia-Pacific Market Entry

Eve, the eVTOL project of the EmbraerX urban air mobility initiative, has officially announced a partnership with Ascent, an urban air mobility ecosystem developer, to grow aerial mobility networks in the Asia-Pacific markets.

The EmbraerX ‘Eve’ eVTOL aircraft, which is already being prototyped.

EmbraerX initially announced its unnamed eVTOL project at Uber Elevate 2018, and has since dubbed the aircraft and the program, ‘Eve’. The aircraft’s design is impressive and professional, with 8 vertical lift propellers, 2 pusher propellers, and room for 4 passengers plus a pilot. Dedicated thought was given to the aircraft’s aerodynamic design and cabin, giving it a fixed wing to increase range in forward flight, and an accessible and spacious cabin for passengers.

Ascent meanwhile is a dedicated developer of of aerial mobility technology on the infrastructure and customer side, already offering affordable by-the-seat bookings and operations management for traditional helicopter air taxis. Ascent’s goal is to use new technologies to make cities more connected by moving people seamlessly by air, using ‘helicopters today and eVTOLs in the future’. With a similar business model to BLADE Urban Air Mobility, Ascent recently launched helicopter air taxi services both in Thailand and in the Philippines.

Ascent Founders Darren Tng and Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff pose with one of the helicopters in their fleet.

According to a recent press release, the partnership between Ascent and Eve aims the progressive integration of Eve eVTOLs into Ascent’s growing technology platform, which offers air taxi, cargo and air medical services in the Asia-Pacific region. Ascent currently maintains a database of air operator partners that are dedicated to UAM operations throughout Thailand and the Philippines, and is set to expand its presence in the region. Additionally, both EmbraerX and Ascent expect that Eve´s Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) services will be fully integrated into Ascent technology to ensure secure and scalable operations.

Said Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff, Founder & CEO of Ascent, “This partnership with Eve is a leap forward for Ascent toward achieving our ambition to democratize sustainable urban air mobility. Joining forces with Eve, and by extension counting with the active support from the Embraer Group, will enable us to accelerate our development for a larger impact, secure the entry of market-fit all-electric aircraft, and  provide safe and secure operations at scale thanks to urban air traffic management integration”

Said Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve Urban Air Mobility, “We are pleased to announce this partnership with Ascent as it aligns with our strategy to develop the urban air mobility ecosystem through collaborative efforts and to be a truly global player. Armed with Ascent’s data and platform, we will be well positioned to enter into the Asia Pacific market. On our end, we are committed to supporting Ascent’s growth and its ambition to democratize air mobility.”

Why it’s important: This announcement is yet another representation of the industry’s speedy shift of focus from vehicle creation to commercial operations development. As eVTOL developers the world over are moving closer to certifying their aircraft for commercial flight, some of these companies, such as EmbraerX, are turning to local operators and brokers like BLADE and Ascent to assist in market entry. As the world approaches a full launch of aerial mobility services, keep an eye on these evolving companies as they continue to develop business structures and partnerships that will enable success.

Source // EmbraerX, Ascent

Related: 

• Ascent Urban Air Mobility Announces Launch in Thailand
• Joby Aviation Announces Infrastructure Partnership With Largest Mobility Hub Operator in North America
• BLADE Announces Deal for Operator’s Order of up to 20 BETA EVA’s