Aircraft
Advanced Air Mobility Edges Toward Commercial Launch
eVTOL vehicles may yet replace helicopters in some use cases
Eve Air Mobility
Eve Air Mobility’s eVTOL aircraft has drawn support from helicopter operators including Omni and Bristow. © Eve Air Mobility

Seasoned observers of the approach path to bringing eVTOL aircraft into service can be forgiven for having to suppress yawns. Self-proclaimed frontrunners in this crowded field—mainly start-ups hungry for fresh capital—have long teased investors with the prospect of commercial returns being just around the corner, only to then quietly concede that the certification process and other groundwork for the advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem is taking longer than they had hoped.

In China, two eVTOL models are already certified and flying restricted missions. Meanwhile, U.S. manufacturers such as Joby and Archer are forging partnerships in the UAE with a view to launching some early trial operations there ahead of FAA certification. How that will work remains unclear, but that hasn’t quieted the cheerleading.