Photo: Overair
California is home to several eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) developers, but one of them seems to have a particular affinity for South Korea. After recently announcing a partnership that will bring the Butterfly air taxi to Jeju Island, Overair secured three major collaborations, including one with the Korean Police.
Defense officials from nearly 60 countries checked out the innovations presented at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX), which took place this week. For the Californian-based eVTOL developer Overair, it was where three public ceremonies confirmed its latest deals with key partners in South Korea.
One of them is the Korean Police, which is apparently looking to start adding eVTOL assets to its fleet in the near future. Still, it's a lengthy and complex process. This is why it will begin by setting up the stage for upcoming AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations. Overair will work with the Police Human Resources Development Institute on key areas, including infrastructure, pilot training, maintenance, and even community support.
Overair also celebrated the sale of 20 more units of its Butterfly aircraft. They'll be delivered to HeliKorea, a major helicopter operator. The versatile eVTOLs will be used for a variety of missions – from executive transportation to medical services, firefighting, and line inspection. The 20 units will also come with pilot and maintenance training.
Last but not least, Overair inked a deal with construction giant Daewoo E&C. This is a large-scale collaboration targeting the entire Asian market. The two are planning to develop an advanced AAM network. For now, they're looking at all the factors involved in a future eco-system, including vertiport sites, regulations, air traffic management systems, and local operators. Daewoo will focus on the infrastructure part, while Overair will look at best practices for aircraft integration.
Despite its delicate name, the Butterfly air taxi boasts a military-inspired design. It combines top performance with generous payload capacity and noise-free operations. It can transport up to five passengers plus cargo over 100 miles (161 km). In terms of speed, it reaches a maximum of 200 mph (322 kph).
Butterfly is different from other eVTOLs due to the four-propeller configuration, with fewer and larger propellers instead of numerous smaller ones. One of the main advantages is that it requires less power for hover flight, also allowing a greater capacity.
The name behind this aviation startup is none other than Abe Karem, known as "the founding father" of the age of drones. He was one of the pioneers of unmanned aircraft, linked to the development of record-breaking military air vehicles such as the Predator and the A160 Hummingbird.
Overair intends to end this fruitful year with the first test flights of the Butterfly's full-scale prototype.
One of them is the Korean Police, which is apparently looking to start adding eVTOL assets to its fleet in the near future. Still, it's a lengthy and complex process. This is why it will begin by setting up the stage for upcoming AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations. Overair will work with the Police Human Resources Development Institute on key areas, including infrastructure, pilot training, maintenance, and even community support.
Overair also celebrated the sale of 20 more units of its Butterfly aircraft. They'll be delivered to HeliKorea, a major helicopter operator. The versatile eVTOLs will be used for a variety of missions – from executive transportation to medical services, firefighting, and line inspection. The 20 units will also come with pilot and maintenance training.
Last but not least, Overair inked a deal with construction giant Daewoo E&C. This is a large-scale collaboration targeting the entire Asian market. The two are planning to develop an advanced AAM network. For now, they're looking at all the factors involved in a future eco-system, including vertiport sites, regulations, air traffic management systems, and local operators. Daewoo will focus on the infrastructure part, while Overair will look at best practices for aircraft integration.
Despite its delicate name, the Butterfly air taxi boasts a military-inspired design. It combines top performance with generous payload capacity and noise-free operations. It can transport up to five passengers plus cargo over 100 miles (161 km). In terms of speed, it reaches a maximum of 200 mph (322 kph).
Butterfly is different from other eVTOLs due to the four-propeller configuration, with fewer and larger propellers instead of numerous smaller ones. One of the main advantages is that it requires less power for hover flight, also allowing a greater capacity.
The name behind this aviation startup is none other than Abe Karem, known as "the founding father" of the age of drones. He was one of the pioneers of unmanned aircraft, linked to the development of record-breaking military air vehicles such as the Predator and the A160 Hummingbird.
Overair intends to end this fruitful year with the first test flights of the Butterfly's full-scale prototype.
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