Growing Interest in eVTOL Aircraft Reflected In Rapid Growth

The Vertical Flight Society reveals that it now has 500 electric VTOL aircraft concepts cataloged on its World eVTOL Aircraft Directory.

“Electric VTOL aircraft promise to be safer, quieter, cheaper and cleaner than today’s fossil-fuel-burning aircraft,” said VFS Executive Director Mike Hirschberg. “The aircraft design freedom from mechanical drive systems through distributed electric propulsion (DEP) allows myriad new vertical flight aircraft concepts, and innovators around the world are exploring the possibilities that electric propulsion can provide.”

The Society’s Electric VTOL News website catalogs all known eVTOL aircraft. Beginning in 2016, the website launched with only a dozen concepts and in just a few years includes 500. 

Significant leaps have occurred in just the past year with 100 aircraft being added since January and 200 since July 2020. These additions come from 288 different companies and developers.

The 500 total entries now include everything from defunct projects to aircraft being flown for certification. The website’s growth indicates the overall expanding interest in the eVTOL sector.

“Since we held the world’s first meeting of the eVTOL development community in 2014, the Vertical Flight Society has been at the forefront of what we see as ‘The Electric VTOL Revolution,’” Hirschberg said. “During this time, several of our earliest eVTOL members have grown from a handful of employees to hundreds, while many new eVTOL companies have only recently entered the scene.” The establishment of this new aviation sector is creating thousands of new jobs each year, advancing research and technologies, and creating new supply chains.

VFS is holding its 5th Workshop on eVTOL Infrastructure for UAM Sept. 20-21, 2021. The virtual workshop will focus on infrastructure operations and safety relating to eVTOL aircraft. Presentations will be included from experts and key players in the industry.

FMI: www.vtol.org/infrastructure, www.evtol.news