Aero Asia Show Highlights Advanced Air Mobility Ambitions

Among the strongest takeaways from the Aero Asia show in China last week was how that country and the wider Asia-Pacific region are following their own path to get advanced air mobility (AAM) up and running. The show held in Zhuhai also highlighted a healthy general aviation sector with 387 exhibitors from 22 countries, nearly 80,000 visitors, and more than 837 aircraft reportedly sold, pushing total confirmed transactions to nearly $1 billion.

Among the event’s 98 conferences, forums, project signings, competitions, and flying demonstrations, the AAM leadership panel, moderated by Emerson Xu—co-founder and CEO of NexAvian—explored how Asia-Pacific markets are coordinating industrialization, certification, and early operational planning. Panelists included Joel Goh, head of business development for Asia at Eve Air Mobility; Arnaud Coville, chief development officer at SkyDrive; Dennis Keller, CEO of Seaplane Asia; and David Alexander Bausek, chief technology officer at Volocopter and CEO at Qingdao Wanfeng Diamond Aircraft.

Speakers observed that some leading eVTOL manufacturers are now moving beyond prototypes, establishing operational footprints for production, maintenance, and fleet operations. They added that AAM adoption is expected to scale through regional corridors, with cross-border links across China’s Greater Bay Area, Japan, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations—including Thailand and Singapore—serving as measures of readiness.

Xu emphasized this momentum, stating that China’s nationwide low-altitude economy (LAE) pilot projects, Japan’s Expo 2025 initiatives, Singapore’s ecosystem development, and emerging Southeast Asian markets “are collectively defining a new center of gravity for global AAM.”

Further illustrating this shift, Goh highlighted Eve Air’s global network of more than 70 locations, as part of its parent company Embraer. He said this infrastructure will support maintenance, distribution, and fleet support across the region.

Flight Demonstrations in China

Meanwhile, Europe-based Volocopter is advancing VoloXPro flight demonstrations in China, targeting Hangzhou as its first launch city after receiving a Special Flight Permit from local regulators on November 19. The manufacturer, which was acquired by Diamond Aircraft’s owners Wanfeng earlier this year, is also planning a 2026 European sandbox program to test VoloCity and VoloXPro under near-commercial conditions through point-to-point trials, while exploring emergency medical service use cases with partner ADAC Luftrettung.

“Whether European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) partnering with Chinese manufacturers, or regional operators integrating seaplanes with eVTOL networks, or Japanese OEMs exploring alignment with FAA and EASA roadmaps, the winning model for Asia is clearly co-creation,” Xu told AIN.

This collaborative approach, Xu added, is reflected in his company’s recent partnership with Chinese eVTOL developer TCab Tech, which announced the launch of the Air Silk Road Global Pilot Partnership Program at last month’s 8th China International Import Expo. The initiative brings together partners including NexAvian, the UK’s Skyports, Intercrus Indonesia, and the Singapore Economic Development Board to develop a low-altitude travel network through international cooperation and promote Chinese eVTOL technology.

As part of the program, TCab Tech inked a memorandum of understanding with NexAvian to explore collaboration on ecosystem expansion, regulatory engagement, and investor relations across Southeast Asia. The manufacturer’s footprint also includes completing testing of its E20 eVTOL vehicle. It has plans to deliver aircraft to customers in the UAE—albeit without a defined path to type certification there—and is also working with Malaysian institutions such as Maranti and Naico to support national low-altitude development strategies.

On December 3, TCab Tech reported another program milestone, with its full-scale E20 demonstrator completing a transition flight test campaign at Hengdian General Airport in Zhejiang, after earlier crewed tests in October. According to the company, the aircraft demonstrated stable control from vertical lift to wing-borne cruise, with all telemetry data matching design predictions, entering the engineering development phase. TCab Tech said that the campaign validated the E20’s aerodynamic configuration across the full tilt corridor, confirmed the robustness of its flight control laws, and verified the performance of key sensors and actuators under representative thermal and vibration loads.

Developments in AAM were reflected in the international scope of Aero Asia 2025, which showcased 75 international exhibitors from Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Malaysia, Malta, Turkey, and the UK. The show—now in its second edition—is co-organized by Messe Frankfurt (HK) and Zhuhai Airshow Group Co., and hosted by Messe Frankfurt (Zhuhai) Airshow Co.

“OEMs have come to realize the real depth and breadth of the AAM and LAE industry is not in certification or speed to entry into service, but in sustained global partnerships, public acceptance, and viable commercial models,” Xu concluded.