LONDON – Eve will launch a complete operation and service touch points using a birds’ eye view to learn how Chicago Metropolitan area commuters will experience eVTOL Urban Air Mobility (UAM) movement. The company expects flight testing to commence in mid-September.
On 23 August, Eve Holding undertook the first ever North American UAM simulation using a helicopter from Blade Air Mobility as a substitute for an eVTOL. The drone manufacturer tries to study its operations, passenger journeys, and overall operations so that eVTOL operator understands the needs of its customers, commuting to and from downtown Chicago.
Eve will do this under its Chicago UAM simulation over the next 3 weeks, with the mission beginning on 12 September, and with passengers on board as of the 14th.
After simulating the Illinoian city, the company will gain deeper knowledge of the city’s infrastructure, especially roads and rail, and the nature of human flow in and out of the city, which will benefit the travel pattern and demand forecasting for the potential market for UAM usage in the metropolitan area.
Eve management statements
André Stein, co-CEO of Eve said: “Simulating the eVTOL operation in Chicago allows us to study how people will experience this service and understand the entire ecosystem requirements for our product and services while showcasing the benefit of Urban Air Mobility in one of North America’s most prominent and populated cities.”
“We are wrapping up preparations to execute these simulations seamlessly and look forward to helping prepare Chicago for a local zero-emission UAM solution that is quiet, efficient, and sustainable.”
Moreover, the eVTOL company will undergo ground tests at Chicago’s Vertiport, which is already an existing heliport infrastructure, with available services including, simulation, infrastructure planning and equipment required for the operations of eVTOL in the near future. The added UAM infrastructure includes charging stations and battery repair for eVTOL machines.
Luiz Mauad, Vice President of Services and Fleet Operations at Eve said:
“For Eve, it is essential to understand and address through these projects involving partners and the community the key challenges associated with the main pillars of the UAM ecosystem. Our proposal brings together all stakeholders and counts on different views and feedback to structure and deliver the best solutions.”
In this latest round of the simulation, Eve has called in relevant stakeholders and partners to conduct these historic tests. This includes Blade, Republic Airways, Halo Aviation, Vertiport Chicago, Village of Tinley Park, Village of Schaumburg, ACCIONA, SkyWest, and Speedbird Aero.
The helicopters that will be simulating Eve’s anticipated eVTOL are slated to transport passengers between Chicago Vertiport and two helipads, which are situated in the northwest and southwest of Chicago.
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