MELBOURNE, Fla., - Eve Air Mobility in Melbourne, Florida announced a quartet of companies it selected to provide sensors, guidance and navigation for its commercial electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL).
Thales in Paris was tapped to provide its air data solution, comprising sensors and a computer while Honeywell in Phoenix will supply guidance, navigation, and external lighting for the aircraft.
Honeywell will supply guidance and navigation products including magnetometers, GPS-aided attitude & heading reference systems, and inertial reference systems built upon decades of engineering and manufacturing experience. These systems will relay and aid the pilots and other onboard systems to ensure safe and efficient flight. The company will also supply external lighting for the aircraft.
Thales' technology will gather critical data such as airspeed, altitude, and environmental conditions. The solution then relays the information to pilots and onboard systems to ensure safe and efficient flight in all weather conditions.
These new suppliers are in addition to Garmin, Liebherr Aerospace, and Intergalactic which were announced in October, and Nidec Aerospace LLC, a joint venture between Japan’s Nidec Corporation and Brazil’s Embraer, BAE Systems, and DUC Hélices Propellers which were announced at the Paris Air Show this past summer.
Eve’s eVTOL aircraft utilizes a lift and cruise configuration with eight dedicated propellers for vertical flight and fixed wings to fly on cruise, with no change in the position of these components during flight. The latest concept includes an electric pusher powered by dual electric motors that provide propulsion redundancy while ensuring high performance and safety. While offering numerous advantages including lower cost of operation, fewer parts, optimized structures, and systems, it has been developed to offer efficient thrust with low sound.
In July, the company announced that its first eVTOL production facility will be located in the city of Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The company has begun assembly of its first full-scale eVTOL prototype which will be followed by a test campaign in 2024. Eve’s eVTOL is scheduled to begin deliveries and enter into service in 2026.
