Thales and Eve UAM partner to support eVTOL development
The partners will collaborate on a series of joint feasibility studies exploring eVTOL technology conducted over a one-year period, with Thales also providing additional support to Eve
Aerial urban air mobility firm Eve UAM and Thales have agreed to a partnership in support of the development of Eve’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Brazil.
The strategic partnership will cover a series of joint studies investigating the technical, economical and adaptable feasibility of fully electric aircraft over a one-year period.
In addition, Thales will support the project by providing additional expertise in the fields of avionics, electric, flight control, navigation, communication and connectivity systems. Support will be provided by both the Thales Technological Space Centre in São José dos Campos and the Avionics Centre in São Bernardo do Campo, as well as a range of Thales engineers in France, Canada and the US.
According to Andre Stein, Co-CEO of Eve, the partnership builds on over three decades of collaboration between Thales and Eve’s parent company, Embraer.
“We are particularly proud to take a new step in Brazil, joining Eve in a project that can be a game-changer for sustainable urban mobility worldwide,” said Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice President for Avionics at Thales. “This industry is coming to stay and will bring many advantages to the country, particularly concerning the environment, due to the use of clean energy.”
Interest in eVTOL technology has been growing in recent years as several start-ups around the world explore its applications, primarily in the civilian sector. Chinese eVTOL developer EHang and Malaysian aviation firm Aerotree Group also signed a strategic partnership in March 2022.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.