Eve Air Mobility has completed the first partial transition flight of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) engineering prototype, marking a key milestone in the company’s flight-test programme and bringing its next-generation aircraft closer to wing-borne flight.
The test marked the first time the aircraft’s rear pusher propulsion system was activated while airborne, validating a critical element of Eve’s eVTOL design. The transition phase is one of the most technically demanding stages of eVTOL operations, as the aircraft shifts from vertical lift to conventional forward flight.
During the flight, the aircraft achieved a stabilized speed of 27 knots and a maximum ground speed of 30 knots while the rear pusher propeller operated at up to 1,200 RPM. The flight lasted 3 minutes and 9 seconds, covered approximately 0.84 nautical miles and reached a maximum altitude of 90 feet above ground level.
Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve Air Mobility, said the successful test represents an important step in the company’s development programme.
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“Successfully activating the pusher propulsion system in flight validates a key aspect of our aircraft design and brings us one step closer to delivering safe, efficient and scalable air mobility solutions,” Bordais said.
Marcelo Basile, Head of Engineering at Eve Air Mobility, said the flight confirmed key performance targets at the beginning of the transition phase and provided valuable data to support further expansion of the aircraft’s flight envelope.
According to the company, the engineering team will continue structural and load analyses while progressively increasing the aircraft’s operating speeds through additional transition flight tests.
Following the current phase of flight testing, Eve also plans to conduct datalink testing to validate radio communication performance and support operations at speeds of up to 50 knots as development of the eVTOL aircraft continues.
