AMSL Aero speeds up plans for global launch

Australia’s AMSL Aero is accelerating plans for global market launch in the wake of an international agreement to harmonise certification standards for eVTOLs. AMSL Aero is developing a hydrogen-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Vertiia. The landmark partnership between regulators in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand sets out to simplify the certification of eVTOLs, the next generation of electric aircraft that take off and land like a helicopter but fly fast and smoothly like a fixed-wing airplane. Currently, an eVTOL must be validated country by country before it can operate in each market, but the National Aviation Authorities (NAA) Network’s new roadmap will lead to mutual acceptance of certifications, meaning an eVTOL like Vertiia approved in one member country could be swiftly recognised by the others. AMSL Aero Chief Executive Officer Dr. Adriano Di Pietro said the move to a harmonised approach opens the door to faster global roll out and sales for the company and has generated fresh interest from prospective international buyers of its record-breaking, zero-emissions eVTOL, Vertiia. “As we step up our development towards Australian certification of Vertiia we are delighted that CASA has come together with its peers in these four other leading aviation markets to harmonise and streamline the certification and validation process for eVTOLs across international boundaries. This is substantial for the industry. “Vertiia has attracted growing attention internationally since last November, when it joined an elite group of eVTOLs to achieve untethered horizontal flight. The NAA’s announcement reduces the overheads for international certification for developers and has opened the market for further keen interest from overseas customers who are attracted to Vertiia’s 1,000 km range, 300 km/h cruising speed, and multiple use cases,” Di Pietro said. AMSL Aero Chairman Chris Smallhorn added: “We welcome global alignment between CASA and its fellow regulators on eVTOL certification in these important markets. This roadmap will bolster Australian sovereign capability in aerospace by empowering homegrown innovators like AMSL Aero to compete even more strongly at a global level.” The NAA’s roadmap calls for unified standards for hydrogen-fuelled and hybrid-electric aircraft, starting next year, by when AMSL Aero will undertake its first hydrogen-powered flight test program. Vertiia is the first eVTOL in the world designed from inception to use hydrogen to achieve long-range heavy lift and passenger operations, representing the kind of clean aviation innovation the NAA’s roadmap is built to support. AMSL Aero has received deposits for 26 Vertiia aircraft orders from civil customers covering passenger services, aircraft charter, air freight and aeromedical flights across Australia. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]