Aerospace manufacturer Airbus and Chilean company Ecocopter, which provides helicopter operations, maintenance and fleet management services to third parties, have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin collaborating on the development and launch of urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystems in Latin America.
Under the agreement, they will study and define the necessary conditions for the launch of this type of operation in Ecuador, Chile and Peru. According to Airbus in a press release, they will first work together to select pilot cities or regions for testing.
«We are excited to extend our long standing relationship with Ecocopter», said Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Partnerships & Strategy Execution for UAM at Airbus. «This partnership leverages Airbus’ expertise in innovative vertical flight technologies, and Ecocopter’s extensive operational history and innovative culture», he said.
«With already twenty years of experience operating helicopters and five years operating drones, this partnership is a natural step for us», commented Marcelo Rajchman, CEO of Ecocopter. «We seek to be a relevant player in the UAM ecosystem and the projects we will develop together with Airbus will bring us closer to this goal», he said.
Extending their partnership
Following the memorandum of understanding, the two companies will expand their collaboration. Ecocopter currently operates a fleet of sixteen Airbus H125s, three H145s and two H135s, providing offshore transport, medical evacuation, aerial firefighting and business support services, among others.
The company, a long-standing Airbus customer, will bring its expertise in the Chilean, Ecuadorian and Peruvian markets. Thus, the European manufacturer will have a relevant partner to support its studies for the launch of urban air mobility ecosystems in these countries and their linkage with existing airspace.
On 21 September 2021, Airbus presented the CityAirbus NextGen as an air vehicle prototype designed to offer a new alternative in the emerging environment of this type of mobility. The company’s aim was to put a firm foot in this growing segment of the industry.
According to Airbus, the aircraft will have a range of up to 80 kilometres and a cruising speed of up to 120 kilometres per hour. Like other eVTOLs, its characteristics make it an ideal choice for transport in urban areas. In addition, it will operate with sound levels below 65 decibels during overflight and below 70 decibels during landing.
As part of its foray into this increasingly important market, it has also begun to sign agreements with various players to accelerate the implementation of integrated electric air transport vehicle systems in urban areas.
See also: Airbus partners with Hiratagakuen to work on the development of eVTOL operations in Japan
