Australia-based electric aircraft supplier FlyOnE has partnered with Israeli eVTOL manufacturer Air for the delivery of 25 two seat AIR One aircraft. In contrast with the UAM development of air taxis for commercial use, Air One is a two seater eVTOL offering a range of 110 miles on a single charge at speeds up to 155 mph.

In addition, FlyOnE is to rollout mobile water landing pads with aircraft recharge capabilities along with partnerships with key airfields to operate recharge nodes for existing electric fixed wing aircraft on its Lilypad Elevate electric aviation network. This network will connect 25 regional airports in Western Australia and create over 30 point-to-point connections. There will be solar-powered charging infrastructure for electric aircraft and proposed sites include Perth, Rottnest Island, Murray Field airport, Mundaring airport, White Gum Air Park and Northam airport.

“FlyOnE is excited to be working with Air to bring the world's first metropolitan eVTOL network to Perth as early as 2025,” says founder Korum Ellis. “With our unique Lilypad landing and charging system, the Air One personal two seater eVTOL can access a variety of waterfront destination sites and airport locations up to 100 km away. In addition, existing fixed wing electric aircraft available now can access select runway sites on this same network from March 2022."

“We are thrilled to help introduce Australia to the future of electric aerospace mobility and to begin to build true consumer confidence in Air One as a natural mode of everyday transport,” adds Air CEO and co-founder Rani Plaut. “With the help of market trailblazers like FlyOnE, we believe Australia will be One of the global early adopters to help scale personal air mobility around the world.”

Some of the earliest deliveries of recreational electric VTOL aircraft will be allocated to FlyOnE clients in Australia, and the first international standard AS6968 eVTOL network of charge nodes and metro eVTOL self-piloted air travel will be established and operated in Perth. Construction of the network, and operation and training around aircraft piloting and maintenance, will generate jobs, stimulate employment and drive unique tourism opportunities. This in turn will allow new and existing tourism destination sites to connect via point-to-point self-piloted electric air travel.

Air is partnering with manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and other relevant players in the aerospace and automotive industries around the world as part of its newly launched Air Brand Ambassador (ABA) programme. FlyOnE will serve as Air's local service and maintenance partner and, as the first official ABA, will play a significant role in laying the groundwork for the mass adoption of personal air vehicles.

Lilypad Elevate network partners in Perth currently include Club Moolia, an automotive country club incorporating the Bindoon Formula 1 racetrack and resort. There is a charge node location currently operating on the northern apron of Jandakot airport, where Cloud Dancer Aviation is structuring an Air EV training curriculum for new and existing pilots, and nearby Murray Field and Rottnest Island airports are also to host charge nodes, the latter being grid-independent and self recharging with renewable energy.

To overcome the red tape and difficulties involved in establishing vertiport operations from a land-based site, FlyOnE has developed a floating pontoon-based landing pad charge node capable of receiving all eVTOL aircraft currently in development. One is to be sited at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia. It has onboard stored power capable of charging the Air One multiple times and can anchor and manoeuvre autonomously or by manual control. This allows it to receive a landing eVTOL the required minimum distance of 500m from a building and then, under its own electric power, manoeuvre into a dock, jetty or alongside a water vessel to allow passengers to disembark, all the while recharging the aircraft. The aircraft can also be recharged while docked from available grid energy.