eVTOL Insights
• Thomas Sleightholm
Thomas Sleightholm FlyNow, developer of pilotless electric aircraft aimed at air taxi, logistics and emergency-response use, has officially relocated its global headquarters to Riyadh. The move signals a tighter operational footprint in Saudi Arabia for an eVTOL strategy that targets commercialization-ready applications.
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Thomas Sleightholm FlyNow, developer of pilotless electric aircraft aimed at air taxi, logistics and emergency-response use, has officially relocated its global headquarters to Riyadh. The move signals a tighter operational footprint in Saudi Arabia for an eVTOL strategy that targets commercialization-ready applications.
Farnborough International Airshow 2026 drew 141,580 visitors from 136 countries and generated 353 aircraft and 904 engine orders, underpinning $84.7bn in deals as attendance surged. The show also spotlighted rapid progress in air mobility and the rising prominence of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, while Airbus weighed shareholder returns against “clean-sheet” ambitions.
Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic have signed a definitive agreement to bring Joby’s air taxi service to the UK and to formalise their 2025 partnership into a binding, multi-year commercial framework. Under the deal, Virgin Atlantic becomes Joby’s exclusive airline partner for air taxi services in the UK, leveraging Delta’s 49% stake in Virgin.
Vertical Aerospace Chief Engineer David King discussed the operational and business merits of the company’s electric tiltrotor for rural and regional markets. The conversation focused on how eVTOL capabilities could fit non-metro use cases, framing value propositions beyond dense urban routes.
High activity
Heart Aerospace is preparing its first test flight of the full-scale X1 all-electric demonstrator, targeting a hybrid-electric ES-30 entry into service by 2031. ZeAero is launching the hydrogen-powered ZERA-LITE retrofit for Cessna Caravans. Meanwhile, Dovetail Electric Aviation signed a binding customer deal for an electric Caravan conversion, and Air One was unveiled at EAA AirVenture.
Stakeholders from the Netherlands and the UK are examining how electric aircraft could be used on short “hop” services across the North Sea. The focus is on improving sustainability versus conventional options while assessing what an electric air bridge could look like in practice.
French hybrid-electric aviation firm Ascendance will host the eVTOL Insights Europe Conference in Toulouse on Oct. 15, bringing delegates together for industry engagement around emerging eVTOL programs. An exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Ascendance’s facilities is scheduled for the following day, Oct. 16, as part of the event program.
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