April 15, 2021: -On Tuesday, Beta Technologies announced a deal to supply up to 20 electric vertical aircraft to Blade Urban Air Mobility.
“We’re excited to partner with Blade because they have the most operational experience and can talk about the opportunities credibly and the profits of flying aircraft in and out of cities,” Beta founder Kyle Clark told CNBC.
Blade gets the “chances to do flight paths that they presently are not doing with the capabilities of this aircraft,” Clark added. “The EVA is going to shine in complement to their existing helicopter fleet.” Also known as eVTOLs, EVAs are electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft that look like their part helicopter, part plane.
Blade from New York, which accepts to purchase five EVAs from Beta with an option of buying 15 more, provides helicopter and executive jet flights focusing on New York City, Los Angeles, South Florida, and other tourist destinations.
“What streaming was to Netflix, EVAs are to Blade,” Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal told CNBC, comparing his company’s transition from helicopters and planes to EVAs to the streaming giant’s transition from DVDs to streaming.
Deal on Tuesday makes Blade the fourth customer for Beta. In addition to UPS, the company’s first customer, United Therapeutics, plans to use EVAs to transport human organs. The Air Force is also testing Beta’s EVAs as part of its Prime Agility program.
Beta’s EVA is called the Alia-250 and will be provided to the customers by 2024, pending certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft, powered by an electric battery, allows it to take off vertically like a helicopter and then fly like a plane.
“Electric-powered aviation is the future of on-demand organ transportation, and that future is nearer than we think,” United Therapeutics CEO Dr. Martine Rothblatt said.
Wall Street research firm Wedbush estimated that $300 billion would be spent on EVAs by 2028. The EVA industry is becoming competitive day by day, with Joby, Archer, Wisk, and others competing to develop the emerging technology.
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