The Norwegian government has approved an $8 million grant to support Elfly Group’s plans to develop an all-electric seaplane. The support was announced by Enova SF, the country’s Ministry of Climate and Environment, on August 30 and takes the start-up’s soft funding tally to $10 million, which has been matched by early investors.
According to Elfly CEO Eric Lithun, the government funding will allow the company to step up work on the Noemi fixed-wing aircraft at its headquarters at Jarlsberg in southern Norway. The program is also backed by technical support from Norway’s SINTEF Innovation Research Foundation and is aiming to be ready for a passenger-carrying aircraft to enter commercial service in 2030.
The Noemi (which stands for "no emissions") will have between 6 and 13 seats, with a range of up to around 200 kilometers (125 miles) and speeds of 250 km/h. Elfly plans to certify the aircraft under EASA’s CS23 Level 4 rules to give it scope to scale up the design to carry as many as 19 passengers. It also intends to offer cargo (carrying up to four one-ton standard pallets) and emergency medical support versions. The design features large windows and an access door to facility boarding by passengers in wheelchairs or for loading freight.
Elfly is now seeking to confirm a partner to provide a pair of electric motors to form the basis for a one-megawatt propulsion system. In July, during the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the company selected U.S.-based Electric Power Systems as its battery supplier.
According to Elfly, it will be ready to fly a prototype of the Noemi in 2025. The company intends to be the launch operator for the aircraft and will apply for an air operator certificate to begin services along the west coast of Norway with an initial fleet of 15 seaplanes flying between fjords.
“Many Norwegians live by fjords and lakes, but need access to hospitals, big cities, and connections to the world,” Lithun said. “Our fjords can be turned into potential floating airports without destroying nature. While the company is home to 5.5 million people, we consume 10 times more travel—the equivalent of a population of 55 million. First and foremost is the need for sustainable travel, which we believe will also enable many economic opportunities for coastal communities.”
According to Elfly, Noemi’s design—which was inspired by boats with a hull—will minimize the power required for takeoffs and allow for operations with waves of up to two meters. Since it will fly at low altitudes, there is no need for the cabin to be pressurized, which Elfly says will simplify the type certification task and reduce weight by around 5 percent. The wings will have stabilizing floats.
