Airlines
Fiji Airways Plans To Connect Pacific Islands with Laila VTOL
Odys' blown-wing design is being developed for both uncrewed freighter and piloted airliner roles
Odys Aviation Laila aircraft for Fiji Airways
The South Pacific islands of Fiji could be the location for an early use case of Odys Aviation's Laila uncrewed hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft.

Fiji Airways is planning to operate Odys Aviation’s Laila hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft for cargo operations that could start in 2025. On September 19, the companies signed an expression of interest agreement that Odys said would lead to a joint test program involving emergency medical support flights to connect hard-to-access locations across 300 South Pacific islands.

According to California-based Odys, the uncrewed Laila aircraft is expected to have a range of around 391 nm, with a cruise speed of 125 mph and a service ceiling of 18,000 feet. The company is also working on plans for a nine-passenger piloted regional airliner called the Alta. Both designs feature a blown-wing architecture, with Alta having a range of between 174 nm and 652 nm, depending on whether it is used in all-electric mode or with its turbogenerator engaged.