LCI signs eVTOL supply contract with BETA

The deposit-backed agreement includes an initial batch order of 50 aircraft, with LCI stating: “The new eVTOL aircraft will complement LCI’s existing fleet of modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, and almost double the number of aircraft on its aviation platform to over 270 units.”

LCI says that the aircraft will be used to ‘provide sustainable solutions for a wide range of applications including cargo, medical and passenger’.

LCI added that it and its parent company, the Libra Group, also plan to share commercial, financial and supply-chain expertise with BETA through its ‘industry networks’ as part of the partnership.

The ALIA-250 eVTOL is currently under development at BETA’s facility in Burlington, Vermont, but is intended to operate at a maximum range of 250 nautical miles (463km) and be capable of carrying a payload of up to 635kg, or a pilot and five passengers.

Battery recharge times of under an hour

The aircraft is also expected to have a recharge time of under an hour and offer lower maintenance requirements than traditional aircraft types. BETA is also developing charging infrastructure alongside the development of the aircraft itself.

Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI, says: “We believe that the aircraft’s blend of rechargeable battery power, significant internal capacity, and plentiful range is an optimal one. We are confident it will be a popular choice for operators and end-users seeking to develop and augment their fleets with this truly sustainable technology.”

Partnerships between eVTOL developers and traditional aviation firms are becoming increasingly commonplace as the technology matures. Chinese eVTOL developer EHang and Malaysian aviation firm Aerotree announced a partnership to develop Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in March 2022, with Aerotree ordering 60 eVTOLs as part of the agreement.