eVTOL
An eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) is a new class of aircraft that uses electric power to take off, hover, and land vertically, much like a helicopter but often in a quieter, more sustainable way.
Specializes in short-range urban air taxis (notably the VoloCity) and cargo eVTOLs. Volocopter has conducted tests in major cities and plans commercial launches in 2025.
Volocopter is a pioneer in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sector, based in Germany. The company designs and manufactures all-electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which they envision as the next generation of air taxis for urban and suburban travel.
Key Aircraft Models
Volocopter is developing a “family” of eVTOL aircraft for different mission profiles, all based on a multirotor design with numerous fixed-pitch propellers:
| Model | Primary Role | Passenger Capacity | Range (Approx.) | Configuration | Status |
| VoloCity | Inner-city Air Taxi | 1 pilot + 1 passenger | ≈22 miles (35 km) | Multirotor (18 propellers) | Working toward EASA Type Certification for commercial launch. |
| VoloRegion | Connecting Cities & Suburbs | 1 pilot + up to 4 passengers | ≈60 miles (100 km) | Lift-plus-cruise (hybrid wing/rotor) | In development and testing. |
| VoloDrone | Heavy-Lift Cargo Drone | Uncrewed (Autonomous) | ≈25 miles (40 km) | Multirotor | Used for testing and commercial pilot projects. |
Certification and Commercial Timeline
Volocopter is actively working with aviation safety regulators, most notably the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), to certify its aircraft:
Global Ambitions: The company also has plans to introduce its services in other major global cities, including Singapore, Rome, and a potential debut in Japan at the 2025 Osaka Expo.
Certification Status: The company is aiming to be one of the first in the world to receive EASA Type Certification for its flagship VoloCity aircraft, though their target timeline has been revised to sometime in 2025.
Target Launch: Volocopter has been heavily involved in establishing an air taxi network in Paris, with an initial goal of launching services in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, although this timeline is now subject to the final certification date.
Focused on urban routes with its “Midnight” aircraft, Archer is collaborating with United Airlines and targeting large markets like NYC and LA.
Archer Aviation is an American company at the forefront of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry, focused on developing all-electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft for use as urban air taxis.
Flagship Aircraft: Midnight
Archer’s primary aircraft model is the Midnight eVTOL, which is designed for commercial air taxi operations.
| Feature | Specification |
| Role | Piloted Air Taxi |
| Capacity | 1 pilot + 4 passengers |
| Configuration | Lift-plus-cruise (Vectored Thrust) with 12 propellers: 6 tilting for lift/cruise and 6 fixed for vertical lift only. |
| Cruise Speed | ≈150 mph (241 km/h) |
| Optimal Mission | Back-to-back 20-50 mile (32-80 km) trips with minimal charging time between flights. |
| Maximum Range | Up to ≈100 miles (161 km) |
| Key Advantage | Designed to be significantly quieter than a helicopter (≈45 dB in cruise). |
Export to Sheets
The Midnight aircraft is an evolution of their two-seat technology demonstrator, the Maker, which successfully demonstrated the aircraft’s full transition from vertical to horizontal flight.
Certification and Commercialization
Archer is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the certification process for the Midnight aircraft:
- FAA Certification Progress: Archer has made significant progress, receiving several key operational certificates, including the Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate and the Part 145 Repair Station Certificate. It is now heavily focused on the final phase of the FAA Type Certification for the Midnight, which is anticipated by late 2025.
- Strategic Partnerships: The company has major partnerships with industry giants, including:
- United Airlines for launching air taxi services in US metropolitan areas (e.g., Chicago and New York).
- Stellantis as its exclusive contract manufacturer for the mass production of the Midnight aircraft.
- Commercial Targets:
- Archer has been named the Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- The company is also targeting international launches, including an initial commercial deployment in the United Arab Emirates by late 2025 and a partnership to bring the Midnight to Japan.
A subsidiary of Embraer, Eve focuses on urban air mobility infrastructure and partnerships with international aviation providers.
Eve Air Mobility (Eve) is a leading company in the development of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and the broader Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. The company is backed by its majority shareholder, the Brazilian aerospace giant Embraer.
The Eve eVTOL Aircraft
Eve’s aircraft is a fully electric vehicle designed for urban air taxi services, prioritizing safety, efficiency, and community friendliness.
| Feature | Specification |
| Design Type | Lift + Cruise (Fixed wings with dedicated vertical lift and cruise propellers) |
| Propulsion | 8 vertical lift propellers + 1 rear pusher propeller (with dual electric motors for redundancy) |
| Capacity | 1 pilot + 4 passengers (up to 6 passengers in future uncrewed configurations) |
| Range | ≈60 miles (100 km) |
| Noise | Up to 90% lower noise footprint compared to equivalent helicopters. |
| Key Advantage | The dedicated lift and cruise configuration simplifies the design, which enhances safety, reliability, and certifiability, as no components need to transition position during flight. |
Certification and Timeline
Eve is pursuing a methodical path to certification, leveraging Embraer’s extensive aerospace expertise.
- Certification Authorities: The company’s primary certification authority is the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC). Eve is also working concurrently with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for validation.
- Timeline: Eve is targeting 2026 for the aircraft’s certification and entry into service.
- Prototype and Testing: The company is currently in a rigorous testing phase, which includes ground tests and vehicle integration. The first full-scale prototype was recently unveiled, with development flight tests expected to begin in the Summer of 2025 and continue through 2026.
Market Strategy and Partnerships
Eve is taking a holistic approach to the UAM market, focusing on the entire ecosystem, not just the aircraft.
- Order Backlog: The company has one of the largest order backlogs in the industry, with non-binding letters of intent (LOIs) for over 2,850 eVTOLs from approximately 30 customers across 13 countries. This includes a recent binding agreement for up to 50 aircraft with Brazilian operator Revo.
- Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM): Eve is developing its own UATM software, called Vector, to help safely integrate and manage the high volume of future air taxi operations in urban low-level airspace.
- Ecosystem Partners:
- Bristow Group and Kenya Airways are partners in developing UAM operational models and air traffic management procedures.
- Thales is a partner on the development of the electrical systems and avionics.
- Signature Aviation is collaborating with Eve to research the necessary ground operations and vertiport services.
- Manufacturing: The first production line for the eVTOL will be established in Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil.
Known for both passenger and cargo eVTOLs with robust battery technology and broad partnerships.
Their primary eVTOL aircraft is the ALIA-250 (also known as the ALIA VTOL).
Key details about the ALIA-250 eVTOL:
- Design: It’s a “lift and cruise” design, meaning it uses four dedicated vertical-lift propellers mounted on the wing for vertical take-off and landing, and one rear pusher-propeller for forward, wing-borne cruise flight.
- Capacity: Designed to carry one pilot and up to five passengers, or cargo.
- Range and Speed: It targets a range of about 250 nautical miles (290 miles or 460 km) and a cruise speed of approximately 170 mph (270 km/h).
- Propulsion: It uses internally-developed electric motors (V600A for lift and H500A for push) and is battery-powered.
- Charging: Beta has also developed a modular, rapid-charging system called the Charge Cube that can recharge the aircraft in less than an hour.
- Other Model: Beta also produces the CX300 (or ALIA CTOL), which uses the same airframe but is configured for conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) and lacks the vertical lift motors. This is often used for pilot training and early commercial operations.
Beta Technologies is a major player in the emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry, with customers including UPS, the U.S. Air Force, and medical logistics companies like United Therapeutics.
Specializes in autonomous cargo eVTOLs, particularly the Chaparral, for efficient freight delivery.
Elroy Air is a California-based aerospace company that is developing an autonomous hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (hVTOL) cargo aircraft system for “middle-mile” logistics, military resupply, and humanitarian aid.
Their flagship aircraft is the Chaparral.
Key Features of the Chaparral:
- Role: Autonomous, unmanned cargo transport.
- Propulsion: It uses a hybrid-electric powertrain, which includes a turbogenerator to charge the batteries, enabling long-range missions without needing charging infrastructure at every landing site.
- Design: It employs a lift-plus-cruise configuration with:
- Eight dedicated vertical-lift rotors for VTOL.
- Four forward-facing propellers for horizontal cruise flight.
- Performance: The aircraft is designed to:
- Carry a payload of 300 to 500 lbs (136 to 227 kg).
- Achieve a mission range of over 300 miles (483 km).
- Cargo System: The Chaparral is a system designed around a unique, lightweight, aerodynamic cargo pod. The aircraft can autonomously pick up and drop off a pre-loaded pod in minutes, minimizing ground time and allowing for rapid turnaround.
- Target Market: The focus is on express shipping, especially for moving packages between distribution centers or to remote locations where ground transport is inefficient or runways are unavailable.
Elroy Air has secured significant orders and partnerships with commercial entities like FedEx and the U.S. military (including the Air Force and Marine Corps) for the Chaparral. They recently selected Kratos as their exclusive U.S. manufacturing partner to begin high-volume production.