The Chinese firm on Monday announced it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Southern Airlines General Aviation (CSGAC), the GA subsidiary of China Southern Airlines, which in 2023 ranked as one of the 10 largest public airlines by revenue. EHang and CSGAC will focus mainly on flight operations, infrastructure support, demonstrations, and the development of new use cases for the former’s flagship EH216-S.

Since the aircraft is self-flying, the partners will not need to worry about pilot training, a common concern among U.S. manufacturers of piloted eVTOL models. Boeing air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero is one of the few U.S. manufacturers seeking to fly autonomously at launch.

EHang’s model is intended to be a part of China’s low-altitude economy, an analog to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry taking shape in the U.S. and abroad.

“CSGAC is actively exploring expansion into the emerging low-altitude industry,” said Erbao Li, chairman of CSGAC. “This cooperation will create innovative archetypes for the low-altitude economy, unlocking new growth opportunities for the general aviation industry and driving the high-quality advancement of the low-altitude economy industry chain in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.”

The companies intend to create demonstration sites at Zhuhai Jiuzhou Airport (ZGSD) and Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a popular theme park, that will serve as hubs for aerial tourism in Zhuhai and the surrounding Greater Bay Area.

“As a frontrunner in the eVTOL industry, we believe that the safe operations of pilotless eVTOL aircraft is crucial to the industry’s development,” said Zhao Wang, chief operating officer of EHang. “Together with CSGAC, we will establish demonstration sites for pilotless eVTOL operations in the Greater Bay Area and spearhead safe, sustainable, and efficient low-altitude operations.”

The partners will also look at potential island-hopping use cases for the EH216-S, including cargo transport, emergency response, and medical evacuations. CSGAC will help train EHang operational personnel, build vertiport infrastructure, develop a platform for flight services, and define maintenance standards.

The arrangement is somewhat similar to those between Archer Aviation and United Airlines and Joby Aviation and Delta Air Lines, for example.

Unlike Archer and Joby, EHang already has begun delivering aircraft to customers. In December, the EH216-S became the first eVTOL air taxi to complete a commercial flight, a feat made more impressive by the fact that the aircraft flies entirely on its own. It followed that in May with the Middle East’s first passenger-carrying eVTOL demonstration.

The two-passenger aircraft has a range of about 22 sm (19 nm) and cruises at about 80 mph (70 knots), making it smaller and less capable than most piloted eVTOL designs, such as Archer’s Midnight or Joby’s air taxi. While those companies are focused mainly on transportation to and from airports, EHang will prioritize out-and-back aerial sightseeing trips.

A wingless design, the EH216-S deploys a coaxial dual-propeller architecture, with eight foldable arms housing 16 lift-and-thrust rotors.

The Chinese manufacturer has received plenty of help, obtaining financial and regulatory support from local and regional governments, particularly those in the cities of Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hefei. Unlike the FAA or European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) wants to get autonomous aircraft in the skies first, perceiving them as safer than their crewed counterparts. EHang’s closest competitor is Autoflight, another manufacturer of self-flying eVTOL air taxis.

In addition to being the first to receive type certification, the EH216-S is also the first aircraft of its kind to be approved for airworthiness and mass production, which began in April. In February, the manufacturer revealed the price tag for the model: around $330,000, which, based on FLYING’s analysis, would make it one of the cheapest eVTOL air taxis on the market.

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Walmart on Thursday announced that later this month, customers in the fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth area will be able to order drone delivery directly through the company’s app, with orders arriving in as little as 30 minutes.

Since introducing drone delivery in 2021, Walmart says it has completed more than 30,000 deliveries. As of January, the firm’s DFW service—operated in partnership with industry titans Zipline and Wing, the drone delivery arm of Google parent Alphabet—covers an estimated 1.8 million households.

Not all of these customers will be eligible for drone delivery through the Walmart app, at least not at first.

The retailer described the integration as a phased rollout that will add customers “as more drone delivery sites launch and drone providers receive additional regulatory approvals to fly more goods across greater distances.” Those eligible for delivery, based on the address linked to their account, will be notified through the app.

It’s unclear exactly which regulatory approvals to which Walmart is referring. But it’s worth noting that Zipline, Wing, and another Walmart partner, DroneUp, have all received beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) exemptions from the FAA.

The approval, awarded on a case-by-case basis, allows drone delivery firms to remove the visual observers (VOs) the agency normally requires to keep an eye on the aircraft. Typically, VOs are replaced by a combination of detect-and-avoid technology and remote pilots. The companies believe this reduced human capital will allow them to fly longer routes.

Walmart first enlisted Wing for its DFW service in August, and the partners now fly out of four Walmart stores located in the suburbs. The drone delivery firm has made a point of building technology that can integrate with its partners’ existing networks.

Physical infrastructure is limited to a fenced-in area that typically takes up a fraction of the store’s parking space. The company is also developing a device called the Autoloader, which enables what is essentially curbside pickup, but using drones. Rather than loading orders into the aircraft themselves, store associates would simply place them on the curb, and the Autoloader would do the rest.

Another recent innovation is a suite of application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow partners to add drone delivery directly to their e-commerce platforms—a tool Walmart will now leverage.

“Our goal is to make drone delivery completely seamless for our partners and their customers,” said Adam Woodworth, CEO of Wing. “When Wing drone delivery is available within the Walmart app later this month, customers will have a wider selection and a better shopping experience than ever before. This is a major step toward making drone delivery a part of everyday life.”

The company also has a drone delivery integration with DoorDash, which in 2022 became the first company to make a service available through a third-party app. The partnership began in Australia, Wing’s largest market. But the firm in March added fast-food delivery from Wendy’s in Christiansburg, Virginia, through the DoorDash app.

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The United Airlines partner and Kakao Mobility Corp.—a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Kakao which runs Kakao T, a popular taxi-hailing service akin to Uber in the U.S.—signed an agreement that covers the latter’s planned purchase and operation of up to 50 aircraft as early as 2026, beginning in Seoul.

The manufacturer estimates the value of the potential sale, including predelivery payments it expects to receive next year, at about $250 million. Kakao Mobility last year signed a similar agreement with U.K. eVTOL manufacturer Vertical Aerospace.

The taxi-hailing company has also tapped Archer as its eVTOL partner for Korea’s K-UAM Grand Challenge: a multicity, public-private effort to demonstrate eVTOL operations, with an eye toward commercializing those services by 2025. Kakao Mobility will pay Archer a first installment of $7 million this year, followed by a second installment in January, to support the effort. The partners expect to complete a public demonstration later this year.

“We are committed to revolutionizing transportation with Archer’s eVTOL aircraft, ushering in a future of cleaner, faster, and more efficient travel between and within Korean cities,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer for Archer.

According to Korea’s transport ministry, commuters in the Seoul Capital Area—which, with a population of a quarter of a million people, is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and home to half the country’s population—typically spend about 90 minutes per day stuck in traffic.

Archer promises to replace those commutes with estimated 10- to 20-minute air taxi flights, charging for just a few minutes in between. The manufacturer’s five-seat eVTOL is designed for four passengers and a pilot, with a range of about 52 sm (45 nm) and cruise speed of 130 knots.

It claims the aircraft will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber, Lyft, and Kakao T, which according to Kakao Mobility has more than 30 million registered users, many of them Seoul.

“The vision is clear—reduce the hours lost in traffic and elevate everyday travel with an electric air taxi service that features Archer’s Midnight aircraft,” said Christopher SungWook Chang, senior vice president of Kakao Mobility.

However, the partners—and the South Korean government—have ambitions to introduce air taxi flights nationwide.

The country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in 2021 unveiled the K-UAM Operation Concept 1.0: a blueprint, similar to the FAA’s Innovate28, to commercialize urban air mobility (UAM) services by 2025. Initial flights would be piloted and take place on predefined routes in cities such as Seoul and Incheon, with nationwide introduction of fully autonomous air taxi flights by 2035.

Before then, the government is conducting the K-UAM Grand Challenge to validate the technology.

Kakao Mobility and a consortium that includes electric vehicle charging service LG Uplus, vertiport developer GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C), and now Archer will be one of three consortiums to participate in public demonstrations under the effort, which seeks to garner public support for UAM services.

One group, which includes flag carrier Korean Air, Hyundai Motor Co., and Korea Telecom, completed the initiative’s first UAM operations demonstration in April. Archer and Kakao Mobility have set a target for their first public demonstration later this year.

Archer through the consortium will also work with regulators to create standards around eVTOL certification and operation. With the help of LG Uplus and GS E&C, the partners plan to construct vertiports, air traffic management systems, and other infrastructure to build a UAM ecosystem in Korea.

Archer competitor Joby Aviation is also part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge and expects to begin demonstration flights this year. The manufacturer in September partnered with SK Telecom—which is supporting it with $100 million in funding—to join a consortium that includes Korea Airports Corporation and Hanwha Systems.

Germany’s Volocopter was the first manufacturer to complete a crewed public eVTOL demonstration in the country in 2021, while California-based Overair last year signed several agreements with Korean partners, including a potential direct sale. Embraer eVTOL subsidiary Eve Air Mobility is also in the mix, having signed an agreement with UAM service provider Moviation for the purchase of its urban air traffic management system.

Beyond South Korea, Archer is looking to introduce Midnight in India, the United Arab Emirates, and U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago.

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The manufacturer on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mukamalah Aviation—a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas company Saudi Aramco that according to Joby operates the world’s largest fleet of corporate aircraft—to introduce its eVTOL air taxi in the country.

Mukamalah serves 13 airports across Saudi Arabia with multiple fleets comprising a total of 55 aircraft. The operator manages nine of these locations in addition to more than 300 onshore and offshore helipads.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, and Captain Khalid Al Natour, CEO of Mukamalah, signed the agreement, which may culminate in the direct sale of Joby aircraft to Mukamalah, at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh.

The MOU builds on Joby’s agreements with the leadership of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to fly in the neighboring United Arab Emirates—which is quickly becoming a hot spot for eVTOL activity—as early as 2025.

“Saudi Arabia presents a remarkable opportunity for our technology, and the scope and scale of Mukamalah’s operations make them a natural partner for us,” said Bevirt.

Joby’s flagship air taxi is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers at up to 200 mph (174 knots), with a range of 100 sm (87 nm). Flights will largely be based out of vertiports installed at locations such as airports and hotels, generating a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters, the manufacturer says.

The company intends to operate its own aircraft in markets such as the U.S. and UAE, contrasting with competitors such as Archer Aviation. But Joby says the direct sale of aircraft to operating partners, such as Mukamalah, is part of its commercialization strategy.

The agreement will include Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and other local aviation stakeholders “to expedite Joby’s entry into the Saudi Arabia market.”

“We are proud to be working together with Joby and Mukamalah on the regulatory framework necessary to support the introduction of eVTOL aircraft,” said a GACA spokesperson. “These initiatives will help the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia meet its climate goals and steer the nation towards a sustainable future.”

Joby first announced its plans to fly in the Middle East in February, signing a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi operations in the UAE as soon as 2025. 

The company said the partnership gives it “exclusive” rights to operate air taxis in the Emirate of Dubai for six years following the start of service. However, competitor Archer Aviation—which has its own plans for Dubai and the UAE—believes it will have no issue operating in the Emirate.

Joby expanded its plans for the UAE to Abu Dhabi in April, partnering with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and other local stakeholders to establish its services nationwide. The company teased the possibility of air taxi routes connecting the nation’s two largest cities, offering 30-minute trips.

ADIO is also collaborating closely with Archer, EHang, and other eVTOL manufacturers eyeing service in the country, offering them financial incentives to localize manufacturing and other operations.

As Emirati leaders push to make the nation a leader in urban air mobility (UAM), it appears the Saudi government may have a similar goal.

The Arab Center Washington DC characterizes the relationship between the two countries as a “rift,” driven by a desire to become the dominant economic power in the region. Both nations rely heavily on their oil industries and have turned to tourism to diversify revenues.

Saudi Arabia made sustainability a pillar of its Vision 2030 plan to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy. Saudi leaders hope to reach net-zero carbon emissions across all industries by 2060 and have already enacted regulations, such as around hydrogen production, to help get there.

“Over the past years, we have already invested in a more sustainable future, including taking steps in sustainable aviation fuel [SAF] testing, supporting the development of hydrogen solutions in the aviation ecosystem, and supporting the Kingdom’s green initiatives by delivering sustainable aviation solutions,” said Al Natour.

Earlier this year, The Helicopter and Jet Company, a Saudi state-owned commercial helicopter operator, partnered with Houston-based Bristow Group to explore the introduction of eVTOL aircraft in the country. Bristow has orders for as many as 50 such models from Vertical Aerospace and as many as 55 from Beta Technologies, as well as up to 50 Electra.aero hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

German manufacturers Volocopter and Lilium are also eyeing eVTOL networks in Saudi Arabia. The former received an order for 10 VoloCity aircraft to be flown in the planned industrial, residential, and tourist zone of Neom, while the latter agreed to sell as many as 100 eVTOL jets to Saudi flag carrier Saudia.

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The German manufacturer of the world’s first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) jet on Monday announced a firm order for 20 aircraft from UrbanLink, a U.S. eVTOL operator formed in March by aviation entrepreneur Ed Wegel, the founder and CEO of charter airline GlobalX.

Notably, the agreement—which includes another 20 purchase options—sets scheduled predelivery payments between the partners. UrbanLink intends to operate the manufacturer’s flagship Lilium Jet out of planned vertiports in South Florida, with the goal of forming a regional air taxi network by 2026.

The initial network will span Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Marco Island, Lilium says.

The collaboration represents a major boost to Lilium’s efforts to serve the Florida market, which has long been in its crosshairs. UrbanLink claims to be the first airline in the U.S. fully committed to integrating eVTOL aircraft into its fleet, giving the manufacturer a crucial operational partner it previously lacked.

“While many airlines have discussed the potential of operating eVTOL aircraft, none have made a definitive commitment,” said Wegel. “UrbanLink will be the first airline in the U.S. to integrate eVTOL aircraft into its fleet…After thorough evaluation of various manufacturers, we found the Lilium Jet to be the optimal choice for our needs, thanks to its superior cabin design, range, capacity, and cost-effectiveness.”

Fellow eVTOL air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation has a similar relationship with United Airlines, which in 2022 paid $10 million out of its $1 billion deal for the purchase of up to 100 aircraft. Joby Aviation, which intends to operate its eVTOL itself, received a $60 million equity investment from partner Delta Air Lines, also in 2022.

“This is a huge milestone, not only for Lilium, but for the commercialization of eVTOLs in the U.S.,” said Sebastien Borel, chief commercial officer of Lilium. “We believe that this purchase of eVTOL aircraft is the first by a commercial operator that isn’t invested in the manufacturer that it is purchasing from. This is a sign that the market for eVTOL aircraft has matured, and there is growing demand for aircraft that can provide connections between, rather than just within, cities.”

Wegel—who led FAA certification for two U.S. Part 135 airlines and several U.S. Part 121 carriers, including Eastern Air Lines’ fleet of Boeing 737-800s in just eight months—founded UrbanLink as a standalone venture in March.

The industry veteran envisions Miami, Los Angeles, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the company’s early markets. It will then expand internationally beginning with the United Arab Emirates, which is rapidly becoming an eVTOL hot spot.

UrbanLink will provide the aircraft, pilots, and other systems needed to run the airline.

The firm picked the Lilium Jet for its fleet due in part to its quiet operation. The aircraft employs a unique fan-in-wing configuration, with 36 electric ducted fans embedded in its fixed wings. Compared to other eVTOL concepts, the design sacrifices efficiency in hover for a significant reduction in noise and improvement in cruise efficiency, where it will spend up to 95 percent of its time.

Since 2020, Lilium has worked with the city of Orlando and other stakeholders to build a regional air mobility (RAM) ecosystem for its eVTOL jet in Florida. Unlike Archer and Joby, which are focused on shorter urban air mobility (UAM) routes, Lilium expects its aircraft to fly between cities, cruising at 162 knots on trips spanning 25 to 125 sm (22 to 109 nm). That range is another factor that garnered UrbanLink’s interest.

Fractional aircraft ownership company NetJets in 2022 became a Lilium partner, signing a memorandum of understanding to purchase 150 aircraft which it will operate within the Florida network. Vertiports, under development at locations such as Orlando International Airport (KMCO), will function as hubs for the service.

Vertical flight services provider Bristow Group will provide maintenance services across the network, while FlightSafety International has agreed to train an initial group of Florida eVTOL pilots.

However, adding an airline partner makes the company’s plans seem much more feasible.

In addition, the German manufacturer has a partnership with Atlantic Aviation to electrify more than 100 FBO terminals nationwide. The sites—30 of which are within Lilium target markets such as Florida, Texas, and Southern California—will be transformed to accommodate its seven-seat eVTOL jet.

Lilium expects the first piloted Lilium Jet flight test to occur in late 2024, with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification in 2025. FAA certification, via the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the two regulators, would follow shortly after. Lilium remains the only eVTOL manufacturer with certification bases on both sides of the Atlantic.

UrbanLink expects to begin the FAA certification process in late 2025, with commercial service launching by summer 2026.

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Hong Kong-based Volar Air Mobility, a company developing a fossil fuel-free aerial ride hailing platform that will use electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft developed by a partner in China, is one of the latest to signal interest in the UAE.

The firm signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Abu Dhabi-based Inovartic Investment, laying the groundwork for a partnership that would commercialize a family of zero-emission aircraft in the country.

Agreed upon in advance of the inaugural DriftX—an Abu Dhabi-based conference that last week showcased cutting-edge technology in air, land, and sea transportation—the collaboration will cover aircraft distribution, post-sale services such as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), crew training, and, potentially, manufacturing and assembly capabilities in the UAE.

“This partnership marks a significant step towards integrating sustainable technologies in aviation, which is crucial for environmental conservation and technological advancement,” said Henry Hooi, CEO of Volar. “This aligns with the goals as outlined in the ‘UAE’s Net Zero by 2050’ agenda.”

Volar seeks to commercialize aircraft that are safe to fly, affordable, and offer on-demand flexibility and zero carbon emissions: a set of criteria it dubs “SAFE.” Its goal is to enhance regional accessibility to private aviation in suburban areas, where environmental concerns and existing aircraft configurations can make traditional airline operations impractical.

Volar’s proprietary, aircraft-agnostic platform is designed to facilitate air taxi ride hailing, complete with booking, check-in, and flight status updates. The first aircraft to join its fleet will be the RX4E: a four-seat eSTOL design being developed by partners at Liaoning General Aviation Academy, which works with the Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

The RX4E is built for one pilot plus four passengers, with a maximum takeoff weight just under 2,650 pounds. It will have a range of about 186 sm (162 nm) and cruise speed of 124 mph (108 knots). Batteries can be swapped out in about 10 minutes, minimizing downtime.

Volar deliberately picked an eSTOL configuration over an eVTOL or a drone for several reasons, Hooi told FLYING at DriftX. For one, Hooi said, it offers greater range and endurance. In addition, the company claims on its website that the RX4E will be more affordable and offer greater time savings compared to “conventional” private aviation options. One of the biggest benefits, though, is ease of certification.

“We believe that, from a regulatory perspective, eSTOL will be quicker to be adopted,” Hooi told FLYING.

The RX4E first flew in 2019 and is in the type certification process with China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC). Volar claims the design will be the first commercial four-seat electric aircraft with Part 23 certification, which it expects to obtain by year’s end.

Unlike the tiltrotor designs common in the eVTOL space, Volar’s eSTOL uses a fixed configuration. The company says this will allow it to leverage regulatory frameworks similar to those for existing fixed-wing models.

The design also lacks the unique infrastructure needs of eVTOL aircraft, such as vertiports. In fact, Volar could reduce infrastructure requirements for operators, owing to the eSTOL’s ability to operate from shorter runways. According to Hooi, the company is developing models that can land on land, snow, or water.

Use cases for the eSTOL overlap somewhat with those proposed for eVTOL designs: private aviation, interisland transport, eco-tourism, medical logistics and evacuation, and services in rural areas with limited road infrastructure, to name a few.

But unlike many eVTOL air taxi companies, Volar’s focus is on the developing world, where it believes zero-emission aircraft can derive regional sustainability, accessibility, and economic benefits from aviation.

The firm envisions operations primarily in regions considered part of the “Global South.” It will first launch in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, a bloc of 10 nations that the company finds attractive due to its rapid economic growth and proximity to mainland China. After that, it will expand into African and Middle Eastern countries, such as the UAE.

“We fundamentally believe that the UAE is a fantastic hub for the potential development of green aviation in the region,” said Hooi.

Hooi said, for example, that he was recently approached with a proposition from a regional government in Southeast Asia. One of the country’s tourism sites lies atop an active volcano, requiring a three-day hike to reach it. The site is visited by as many as 100,000 tourists annually, who often leave a trail of rubbish in their wake.

Volar proposed flying tourists to the top of the volcano using an electric seaplane. Hooi said this could reduce the amount of trash on the trails and attract additional tourists by opening access to people incapable of making the three-day trek. He also suggested that by reducing travel time to the summit, visitors might spend more money at local restaurants and bars, bringing more economic activity to countries that rely heavily on tourism.

“You and I are not going to make an iota of difference if we cannot engage the rest of our communities to participate in collectively working towards a green environment,” Hooi said.

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At the inaugural DriftX conference in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, both headquartered in California, signed agreements with Abu Dhabi government agencies to introduce their respective air taxis in the Emirate.

Archer signed a framework agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), which the company says includes hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, to commercialize its flagship Midnight air taxi in the UAE, with a commercial launch as early as next year.

Joby also is eyeing a 2025 launch in the UAE. On Thursday, the company signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU), with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), Department of Economic Development (ADDED), and Department of Culture and Tourism. The collaboration would establish Joby air taxi services in the Emirate and elsewhere within the country.

The companies signed their respective agreements at DriftX, a new, two-day mobility conference in Abu Dhabi backed by ADIO and the city’s Sustainable and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster. SAVI, of which both Archer and Joby are members, is an initiative that seeks to transform the Emirate’s transportation by air, land, and sea.

Archer’s collaboration further will focus on in-country aircraft manufacturing operations and eVTOL pilot training, which has different requirements than those for most other aircraft. The ADIO, in collaboration with Archer and other partners, will also build vertiports in “critical locations” throughout Abu Dhabi.

“This substantial agreement with Abu Dhabi is a pivotal moment for Archer’s commercialization efforts across the Emirates, as it provides the catalyst to accelerate the launch of our electric air taxi service in the UAE as soon as late 2025,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

ADIO will further help Archer establish an international headquarters and engineering “Center of Excellence” in Abu Dhabi, which were proposed under a previous agreement. Plans for a production facility in the city, which would be aided by automobile manufacturing partner Stellantis, are also in the works.

These facilities and others are expected to attract local Emirati talent through an ADIO-established workforce development plan.

“We are excited to support Archer toward establishing its international headquarters in Abu Dhabi and to develop a comprehensive investment framework that will accelerate its progress towards manufacturing and operating its Midnight aircraft in the UAE,” said Badr Al-Olama, director general of the ADIO.

Archer also has the backing of Mubadala Capital, a UAE state-owned sovereign wealth fund, and operational partnerships with local firms Falcon Aviation and Air Chateau. The latter in November signed an MOU to purchase 100 Midnight air taxis.

Joby, meanwhile, is setting its sights on Abu Dhabi for the first time following a prior agreement with the Emirate of Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA). The company says the arrangement gives it exclusive rights to operate air taxis in the Emirate for six years, beginning with its planned launch in 2025.

The deal caused a stir within the eVTOL industry. But Archer has offered some pushback.

“I do not believe it will impact our operations in Dubai or our ambitions in Dubai,” Goldstein told FLYING in March. “We believe we will be able to operate there, and we will have a strong hub out of Abu Dhabi. We’re glad to see Joby coming to the region and leaning in, because we think it’s a good early market for eVTOL players to start.”

Joby teased the possibility of inter-Emirate routes, such as between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but these would require a sign-off from the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said at DriftX that the company has been collaborating closely with the GCAA for the past six years, working within a framework that builds on FAA standards. But it will need to complete some additional testing and a review process with the regulator.

“Today’s agreement demonstrates the incredible momentum behind the adoption of clean flight across the UAE,” said Bevirt. “We’re looking forward to delivering a fantastic experience for our future customers in Abu Dhabi, and we’re excited to be unlocking the potential for zero-emissions flight between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”

Goldstein and Bevirt at DriftX spoke about what brought Archer and Joby to Abu Dhabi, citing the Emirate’s existing infrastructure and “unprecedented” (per Bevirt) partnership opportunities as draws. Both CEOs said Emirati officials and communities may be enticed by the value creation aspect of vertiports, claiming that their installation will increase real estate value in surrounding areas.

Both companies emphasized the necessity of partnerships. As Goldstein put it, “we won’t be able to do it alone” when it comes to building the ecosystem surrounding their aircraft.

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The company on Monday expanded its partnership with Emirati aviation services provider Falcon Aviation to build a vertiport network for eVTOL air taxi operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the two largest cities in the UAE. San Jose, California-based Archer expects the UAE to be its first international launch market.

Archer and Falcon initially agreed upon a deal that would see Falcon operate “scores” of Midnight aircraft across the UAE and expand the former’s urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem. The collaboration includes the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the city’s central government hub for investment.

Archer believes it is the first to announce an eVTOL air taxi route between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which it said is “one of the world’s most prominent and congested commute corridors.” The manufacturer estimated flights will last 30 minutes: a fraction of the two hours it could take to drive between the cities during peak traffic.

“Partnering with established operators such as Falcon Aviation, as well as the capital of the Emirates with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, has been key to quickly building our presence in the region,” said Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. “We look forward to paving the way for the introduction of our Midnight aircraft to the region, which will set the stage for the UAE to become a global leader in urban air mobility.”

Preparing for (Vertical) Takeoff

Falcon last week upgraded its heliport terminal at Atlantis, The Palm, in Dubai, a hub for sightseeing trips above the city’s skyline. The terminal also provides helicopter charter flights between the hotel and Abu Dhabi, as well as other nearby cities. As early as next year, Falcon will operate Midnight out of that site and its Marina Mall heliport in Abu Dhabi.

The vertiports will connect the two cities with routes almost entirely over water, providing scenic views for passengers. At the same time, Archer claims Midnight will be quieter, safer, and more affordable than comparable helicopters.

“For nearly two decades, Falcon Aviation has been at the forefront of helicopter passenger transport in the UAE,” said Ramandeep Oberoi, CEO of Falcon. “Our partnership with Archer is a leap into the future, as we prepare to offer flying car services together in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, continuing our tradition of world-class transportation solutions.”

Archer’s vision is for Midnight to swap 60-90-minute commutes by car for back-to-back, 10-30-minute electric air taxi flights, with only 10-12 minutes of charge time between. Designed for a pilot plus up to four passengers, the aircraft has a range of 52 sm (45 nm) and cruise speed of 130 knots.

In addition to service in the U.S. in partnership with United Airlines, Archer intends to serve the entire UAE and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“We have made rapid progress in the UAE over the past three months since announcing Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be home to our first international Midnight flights as soon as 2025,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer of Archer. “We’re proud to be the first to announce plans to operate between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, along with vertiport infrastructure at both ends of the commuter journey.”

The ADIO, which is supporting Archer’s UAE launch with economic incentives, last year agreed to host the company’s engineering and manufacturing facilities within the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, an urban hub designed to speed the development of new land, air, and sea vehicles. Manufacturing partner Stellantis—which will support Midnight mass production and is aiding the construction of Archer’s scaled manufacturing plant in Covington, Georgia—will help build them.

Archer last year also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Emirati private heliport operator Air Chateau International for the planned purchase of 100 Midnight air taxis, which Air Chateau will operate regionwide. The partners are further exploring infrastructure investments, such as for vertiports and electric aircraft chargers, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Complicating matters somewhat is the presence of eVTOL air taxi competitor Joby Aviation.

Joby last month signed an agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA)—the government entity that regulates the city’s public transport—for the exclusive right to operate electric air taxi services in Dubai for six years following the launch of service. That’s expected to happen in 2025 or 2026.

However, while it sounds like the arrangement would prevent Joby’s competitors from flying in Dubai, Archer CEO Adam Goldstein told FLYING that will not be the case.

“I do not believe it will impact our operations in Dubai or our ambitions in Dubai,” said Goldstein. “We believe we will be able to operate there, and we will have a strong hub out of Abu Dhabi. We’re glad to see Joby coming to the region and leaning in, because we think it’s a good early market for eVTOL players to start.”

By stepping up the company’s partnership with Falcon, the Archer CEO is putting his money where his mouth is. Vertiport infrastructure is not cheap, and Archer likely would not pursue it if it believed Dubai to be off the table.

Falcon in 2022 also purchased 35 air taxis from Embraer subsidiary Eve Air Mobility, with the companies announcing plans to launch eVTOL tourism flights in Dubai. China’s EHang and Germany’s Lilium are among other air taxi manufacturers looking to operate in the UAE.

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The firm on Thursday announced a formal partnership with Signature Aviation, a FBO network for business and private aviation, to install systems at three East Coast airports, with discussions underway to include additional locations.

The first multimodal Beta charger is already installed and online at Signature’s Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (KMHT) terminal in New Hampshire, which the company said is the state’s first such system.

“Manchester is emerging as one of the top high-tech hubs in the Northeast, and we are honored that Manchester-Boston Regional Airport was chosen as Signature and BETA’s first operational electric aviation site,” said KMHT director Ted Kitchens. “This interoperable charging station will help enable Manchester and southern New Hampshire to have better access to electric aviation, which will bring us better regional air mobility as we move into this exciting new era of electric transportation.”

Additional chargers—which Beta said will come online this summer—are being installed on Signature terminals at Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK) in Maryland and Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (KCHO) in Virgina.

“As one of the leading private terminal operators anywhere in the world, Signature takes a forward-leaning approach to best serve their broad base of aviators,” said Nate Ward, head of network development for Beta. “Beta has long been focused on building a reliable, accessible network of chargers for aircraft, and this collaboration represents another important pathway toward scaling our network.”

Beta’s chargers are designed to be multimodal and interoperable, accessible to the company’s aircraft, other developers’ electric models, or any electric air or ground vehicle.

The systems adhere to the international combined charging system (CCS) standard, which has also been proposed as the standard for electric ground vehicles. In September, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) endorsed the CCS alongside Beta, Archer Aviation, Lilium, Volocopter, Overair, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, and several other electric air taxi manufacturers.

Joby Aviation, one of Beta’s U.S. competitors, has proposed its own charging standard—the global electric aviation charging system (GEACS)—which it touts as an alternative to the CCS. In the electric ground vehicle space, Tesla’s North American charging system (NACS) is gradually supplanting the CCS as the industry standard. But Beta and others are pushing for the latter to become the norm in aviation.

Signature is Beta’s third FBO partner. The partnership follows a deal with Atlantic Aviation to install systems at New York’s Elmira Regional Airport (KELM), Birmingham International Airport (KBHM) in Alabama, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (KJAN) in Mississippi, and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (KBAF) in Massachusetts. The Elmira site is already online.

Beta in February also partnered with FBO network AvFlight to inaugurate an electric aircraft charger at Golden Triangle Regional Airport (KGTR) in Columbus, Mississippi. The partners said it was the first such system to be installed in the state.

Now Signature, which bills itself as world’s largest private aviation terminal operator, is getting in on the action.

“We are thrilled to further solidify our partnership with Beta, which underscores our unwavering commitment to shaping the future of aviation through our sustainability initiatives in Signature Renew,” said Derek DeCross, chief commercial officer for Signature Aviation. “Together with Beta, we’re not only creating greater access to electric aviation but also unlocking new possibilities in regional air mobility for our guests, all while championing sustainability and innovation in the aviation industry.”

Signature earlier this week rebranded to emphasize its focus on aviation hospitality, customer experience, and sustainability. The firm achieved carbon neutrality across its entire global network in 2022 and last year said it pumped its 25th million gallon of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The company’s three East Coast sites now join Beta’s U.S. charging network, which spans the coast from Vermont to Florida and extends as far west as Arkansas. Chargers have now been installed at 19 locations, with another 50 sites in the permitting or construction process, Beta said Thursday.

Within the manufacturer’s network is the first electric aircraft charger installed at a Department of Defense (DOD) base. Customers include the DOD, regional and state-owned airports, FBOs, and even other electric aircraft developers.

Beta is already using the sites to charge its all-electric aircraft. It stopped at several charging stations in October during a 12-state, 1,500 nm journey to Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida, where it recently concluded an initial three-month deployment for the U.S. Air Force.

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Airbus on Tuesday announced an agreement with international helicopter and fixed-wing lessor LCI to jointly set the stage for advanced air mobility (AAM) operations of emerging aircraft, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis and other electric models. The collaboration will hone in on three key areas: AAM strategy, commercialization, and financing.

The partners will study AAM market perspectives and forecasts, conduct industry research, and leverage data analytics to uncover new applications and missions. They will also develop new AAM solutions, exploring the commercialization of aircraft fleets, batteries, and charging networks.

“For two decades, LCI and Airbus have delivered capacity and financing solutions to airlines and operators across the globe, and we are now extending that to advanced air mobility,” said Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI. “Transportation and logistical networks have a duty to be efficient, sustainable, and scalable. Both LCI and Airbus take a holistic and pragmatic view of advanced air mobility, including vehicles and also infrastructure, financing, and network adoption.”

Under the agreement, LCI will become a “key financial partner” for certain Airbus AAM projects, such as those focused on emergency medical services. The lessor will use its network to boost global adoption and acceptance of emerging aircraft. It also intends to explore leasing and finance solutions for potential buyers of the CityAirbus NextGen, Airbus’ flagship eVTOL air taxi model.

The all-electric CityAirbus NextGen is designed for a pilot to fly up to four passengers, with a 50 sm (43 nm) operational range and 75 mph (65 knots) cruise speed. The model includes fixed wings, V-shaped tail, and distributed electric propulsion system that powers eight electric propellers.

Airbus finalized assembly of the first CityAirbus NextGen model and powered on the aircraft at the end of 2023. The next phase will be a test campaign using the manufacturer’s new AAM test center in Donauwörth, Germany. Those flights represent a step toward type certification of the aircraft with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

“We are excited to extend our long-standing relationship with LCI, an innovative lessor that is globally unique in its positioning across the commercial fixed-wing, helicopter and AAM sectors,” said Balkiz Sarihan, CEO and head of urban air mobility (UAM) at Airbus. “LCI’s combination of operational expertise, customer networks, and financial insights complements Airbus’ technical innovation in flight technologies and will enable us to collectively drive the development of advanced air mobility.”

Airbus is working with Groupe ADP, the organization that manages Paris’ international airports, and regional French authorities to fly the CityAirbus NextGen at the 2024 Olympic Games in the nation’s capital, where other manufacturers such as Germany’s Volocopter and China’s AutoFlight also intend to demonstrate their respective air taxis.

Recently, the company stepped up its partnership for the aircraft’s rollout in Italy, where it is working with ITA Airways, the country’s flag carrier, to build a nationwide AAM ecosystem. It added vertiport operator UrbanV and green energy company Enel, which will assist airports with the transition to electric infrastructure, to the partnership. Prior to the initial partnership announcement in 2022, ITA purchased 28 Airbus aircraft, leasing another 56 following the agreement.

Beyond CityAirbus, the manufacturer is developing four low-carbon ZEROe aircraft concepts, each powered by hydrogen and built to fly 100 to 200 passengers. It hopes to introduce a commercial, low-carbon aircraft by 2035 and recently partnered with four Scandinavian firms to study hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Norway and Sweden.

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, meanwhile, launched a dedicated drone and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) business in November, signaling its interest in self-flying electric aircraft. Airbus already produces several UAS—such as the long-range, high-flying Zephyr—but last month expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Aerovel by Airbus Helicopters.

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