As the world progresses towards increased connectivity, mobility, and sustainability, one segment is becoming increasingly in-demand: electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The concept first emerged in 2009, with NASA’s Puffin eVTOL gaining viral fame online. Today, Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Honda and other big players in the industry have joined in on developing this innovative aircraft type.
So, what exactly are eVTOLS? Here are 3 things every aviation enthusiast should know.
- They are essentially “flying cars”
In layman terms, an eVTOL is like a car that flies, transporting you to your destination via air, instead of having you sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Going in more depth, eVTOLs are very much electric helicopters.
Since helicopters are VTOLs, taking off and landing vertically, eVTOLs operate in the same way, except they’re much more environmentally sustainable. eVTOLs are powered by electricity stored in battery packs (think Tesla), so they do not rely on conventional fossil fuel, thus doing away with carbon emissions.
- Some major airlines and airports are already preparing to be eVTOL-ready
eVTOLs are expected to enter commercial service by 2025. In preparation, major airlines including American Airlines, Azul, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic have already made pre-orders for eVTOLs.
Similarly, airport groups such as Groupe ADP (France) and Fraport (Germany) have partnered with other industry players to ensure they are ready for eVTOLs
- eVTOLs are soon to gain popularity in Asia-Pacific
Suzuki Motors have partnered with SkyDrive to consider the market of eVTOLs in India; Thailand’s EHang is set to be the first to launch urban air mobility operations in the country, with a pre-order of 100 eVTOLs from Prestige Aviation in Indonesia; South Korea’s largest mobility platform, TMAP, will join Korea’s leading telecommunications company, SK Telecom, to bring emission-free aerial ride-sharing services to nation.
These are only a handful examples of the many eVTOL operations in motion throughout the Asia Pacific region. In Malaysia, at the forefront of the segment is the Dviation Group’s latest business unit, KarbonMRO, which specializes in the engineering and maintenance of aerial vehicles.
KarbonMRO’s service portfolio is tailored towards three categories of aerial vehicles. These next-generation of aerial vehicles are seen as testbeds for the adoption of feasible & sustainable technologies – contributing towards de-carbonization in aviation within the next decade.
Are you ready for the dawn of eVTOLS? Share this with your fellow aviation enthusiasts to get their thoughts on this!