The Engineer Q&A: Rise of the eVTOL aircraft

The way we move is changing too. Our mobility options are becoming increasingly greener as electric powertrains replace fossil-fuelled modes of transport.

Aviation has a clear and obvious part to play in Net Zero ambitions with numerous companies proposing low-carbon regional travel with eVTOL solutions.

The Engineer spoke to three leading players in this burgeoning market for their insights into developing electric flight for passenger services.

Meet the experts

DP: Following years of development and design maturation, Joby began a formal certification program with the Federal Aviation Administration in 2018. In 2020, we became the first eVTOL manufacturer to agree to a ‘G-1’ certification basis for our aircraft with the FAA. The agreement lays out the rules that must be met by our aircraft in order for it to be certified. We are currently finalizing our means of compliance with those rules and similarly aligning our certification plans. We expect to start conforming tests in 2022. Initial manufacturing is already underway to support type design aircraft and production certification. On the operations side, we submitted our Part 135 application for airline operations in July 2021. We intend to operate as a commercial passenger service starting in 2024.