Aircraft manufacturer Air is advancing plans to bring both uncrewed and piloted versions of its Air One eVTOL model to market. In recent weeks, it has expanded flight trials, as well as laying the foundations for the production phases of the program through an agreement for engineering group EDAG, which will provide the main aerostructures for production models.
EDAG has already delivered the first sets of structures, using aerospace-grade components and production processes it has honed in the automotive sector. By September, eVTOL aircraft manufacturer Air expects to open its new manufacturing site in Israel, which will supplement its main production capacity in Texas.
The Air One design has been revised and now features folding wings and arms that support its eight electric motors. These changes are intended to make transportation and storage easier, and the aircraft can now fit into a 20-foot container or be pulled on a standard trailer by a large SUV or truck.
The aircraft also now offers 70 cubic feet of space for cargo to increase the volume that can be transported. In a passenger configuration, the cabin space has not been increased because a firewall is required to separate the baggage compartment. However, Air’s CEO and co-founder, Rani Plaut, told AIN the interior is more comfortable than a typical two-seater aircraft.
In May, Air started night flight trials with an uncrewed cargo version of the aircraft under an experimental airworthiness certificate issued by Israeli authorities. The company said it has a launch customer for this model, with a logistics group planning to deploy a fleet of 12 aircraft in remote locations following deliveries planned for later this year.
According to Plaut, these trial operations are providing real-world experience and data that will support other early adopters. With the client, Air’s team flew packages between two distribution points, teaching employees with no previous experience how to load and unload the aircraft.
Air started flying its first prototype in 2022 and quickly had visits from prospective defense and logistics clients asking for early access to the aircraft. Since most of the Air One’s functions are automated, they concluded that it made sense to prioritize early uncrewed use cases.
FAA’s Mosaic Path Set To Open Up
The first aircraft was delivered in 2023, and since then, it has sold 15 more and delivered two of these. Plaut said he hopes to deliver another 10 this year and at least five more in 2026, when the company aims to get FAA approval under the new Mosaic special airworthiness rules to accelerate market entry for new light sports aircraft.
According to Plaut, the Trump Administration is committed to supporting innovation in aviation. “The FAA has moved relatively fast and although it could move faster, we can’t take our hands off the safety knob, but we’re seeing the difference already,” he commented.
For the original piloted Air One concept, Air says it now has 2,500 U.S. buyers on a waiting list across all 50 states. Initially, Plaut expects delivery volumes to start at a fairly conservative rate, and he acknowledged that under the Mosaic requirements, early operations will tend to be in more remote areas to manage risk for aircraft that will be flown by holders of private pilot licenses.
“About 70% of our customers were not pilots before, and we want to remove the ‘niche thing’ about aviation by reducing the required skill set dramatically,” Plaut said. He explained that, for the most part, the Air One pilots will be relaying instructions to the flight computer, which will then action any changes in terms of navigation and power settings.