Moya Aero has received its second commitment from a prospective operator for its autonomous utility eVTOL aircraft. Under a letter of intent signed last week, Canadian logistics group N2 Infrastructure Technologies agreed to acquire four of the aircraft from the Brazilian start-up and will work with it to develop use cases.
N2 Infrastructure Technologies is aiming to develop new air cargo business models as well as support emergency medical services. According to co-founder Raheel Kamal, Moya’s aircraft—which will have a payload capacity of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) and a range of 110 kilometers (70 miles)—is the “ideal specification for our mission in remote areas.”
From its base in São José dos Campos, Moya Aero is preparing to start test flights with a 70 percent scale technology demonstrator of its as-yet-unnamed drone. Earlier this year, it received a $2 million grant from FINEP, a Brazilian government organization that promotes science, technology, and innovation. The company sees crop spraying as another viable application for its aircraft.
The design features two pairs of propellers, installed on a tandem wing configuration, each with its own electric motor. Rather than tilting the wings or propellers, the fuselage rotates between vertical and horizontal phases of flight.
Moya, which was founded in 2020 by Renata Paolillo and Alexandre Zaramela, says it has begun discussions with Brazil’s ANAC aviation safety agency about the type certification process. Announcing the agreement with N2 Infrastructure Technologies, it said the target entry-into-service date for the aircraft is 2026.
“We see a great synergy between Moya Aero and N2,” Paolillo said. “We are both working to make logistics simpler and more sustainable.”
In May, Brazilian helicopter operators signed a letter of intent covering the purchase of 50 of Moya's eVTOL vehicle. It plans to operate these through its Helisul Drones division.
According to Moya, it is building the fuselage and wings from composite materials, including carbon fiber and epoxy resin. It is producing its own batteries, having sourced electric motors from a company called T-Motors. An undisclosed supplier has provided the autopilot system. Moya, which is a spin-off from aerospace services group ACS Aviation, says its team has already received some training with the autopilot, resulting in adjustments to the aircraft’s controls. It is also ground-testing the various elements of the powertrain.
