Flying Taxi Company Picks Honeywell for Navigation, Sensors

An electric aerial vehicle (EAV) maker has selected Honeywell for navigation, sensors and lighting systems for its flying vehicles.

Eve Air Mobility, which is backed by Embraer, plans to use Honeywell’s GPS-aided attitude and heading reference systems and inertial reference systems in its eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle.

Those systems aid the pilots while navigating the EAV. 

Eve Air also plans to use Honeywell systems for landing, taxi and anti-collision lighting.

“Honeywell has decades of experience engineering and manufacturing high-performance navigation and sensor products for commercial, defense, industrial and space applications,” said David Shilliday, vice president and general manager, Advanced Air Mobility, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “These products are also critical to enabling the next generation of electric aircraft, and we’re excited to help build the future of aviation and advance Eve Air Mobility’s goal to make air travel more sustainable.”

Eve Air’s fixed wing EAV uses a lift and cruise configuration with eight propellers for vertical flight and has a range of 60 miles.

Eve Air selected other suppliers as well. The company plans to use eVTOL seats from Recaro Aircraft Seating and horizontal and vertical tail, including the rudder and elevator, from FACC.

Related:Flying Taxi Service Planned for Miami, South Florida

“We continue to be on schedule with our master plan and we are building a strong and reputable list of qualified suppliers for our eVTOL aircraft,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve Air Mobility. “We have been very deliberate in establishing a long-term working relationship with each of our suppliers. 

Eve Air and UrbanX in Miami recently announced plans to launch eVTOL commuter flights throughout South Florida by 2026, when the first 10 Eve eVTOLS are expected to be delivered.

GlobalX agreed to purchase 200 EAVs from Eve Air in 2022 and established UrbanX as a wholly-owned subsidiary of GlobalX. 

The Florida flights are intended to help commuters navigate short distances and avoid traffic congestion and improve travel times. 

Travel times by road in Miami can be challenging because of delays caused by the frequent opening of numerous draw bridges as boats navigate through the many channels.

The electric flying service in Florida is subject to approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation.

Eve Air is growing arrangements with low-cost carriers.

The company teamed with Flynas, a low-cost airline in Saudi Arabia, to explore starting eVTOL services in Riyadh and Jeddah.

Related:Flying Vehicle Company Plans for Saudi Arabia; Embraer-Backed

Eve Air and Korean airline Jeju Air, the largest low-cost airline in Korea, recently created initial plans for EAV on Jeju Island. South Korea already had been laying the groundwork for urban air mobility. 

Eve Air also has been working with cities, countries and regulatory authorities to establish concepts of operations in the U.S., Brazil and the U.K. 

Eve Air and Hunch Mobility, a joint venture between Hunch Ventures and Blade Air Mobility, already were working together to make Bangalore the launch city for urban air mobility in Bangalore, India.

The Eve Air EAV is eventually aimed at becoming self-flying.

Eve Air recently signed a deal with DHL Supply Chain to study the supply chain characteristics for Eve’s eVTOL vehicle operations.

Eve’s backlog orders of its EAV totals 2,850 flying vehicles, according to the company.

The company also has created urban air traffic management software with its first eVTOL deliveries. Eve Air has agreements for its four-passenger EAV to fly in numerous countries in addition to Brazil.

The company is not alone in establishing a global presence. Archer Aviation and InterGlobe Enterprises recently signed a deal to launch an air taxi service in India in 2026, including the purchase of up to 200 of the Archer Midnight aircraft.

Related:Flying Vehicle Company Plans for Korea Operations; Backed by Embraer

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