FlyNow could fly soon. The Austrian start-up is building a fleet of electric helicopters for the World Expo in Saudi Arabia in 2030.
The ambitious plan was announced by FlyNow cofounder and COO Yvonne Winter and shared by Saudi Arabia Holding Co. CEO Mohammed AlQahtani via LinkedIn on Monday. According to the post, thousands of miniature e-copters will transport visitors around a 600-hectare site in Riyadh to improve mobility and sustainability at the expo. FlyNow is also opening manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia within the next month or so to kick off production. (Robb Report has reached out to FlyNow for more details regarding the rollout, but the company did not immediately respond.)
The start-up has designed a single-seat and a double-seat e-copter that can fly for 31 miles (50 km) or about 30 minutes on a single charge. The emission-free choppers can reach up to 81 mph (130 km/h), though they probably won’t be flying that fast at the expo. The two-seater is also capable of carrying around 441 pounds (200 kg).
The e-copter in flight.
FlyNow
Both designs are sleek and simple. Rather than the traditional tail rotor, the vessels are fitted with two coaxially stacked rotors that turn in opposite directions to balance out torque. The rotors reportedly make just under 55 decibels of noise at an altitude of 490 feet (150 meters), meaning they’re about as loud as a conversation between two people.
The choppers also will feature an automatic flight system (AFS), so they will cruise along a fixed route and follow a flight plan. Conversely, autonomous aircraft select their own flight path and make adjustments in real-time. FlyNow says automatic flying has been practiced successfully and safely in aviation for many years, whereas autonomous flying is still a ways off. (The European Aviation Safety Agency says autonomous flight will not be technically and regulatory feasible until after 2030.) FlyNow’s fleet should be able to fly under existing regulations, too.
The back of the e-copter.
FlyNow
The 2030 debut does present some challenges, though. FlyNow will need to find spots to charge and store the fleet during the expo. Flight paths will also have to be carefully planned to prevent accidents. Furthermore, FlyNow has to build “thousands” of aircraft in just six years. The company said it tested a full-scale proof of concept at Salzburg Airport at the beginning of summer in 2023, but we haven’t seen the aircraft in the skies. Hey, a lot can change in half a decade.
