AIR, an Israeli manufacturer of midsize electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has expanded into the logistics market with an unmanned cargo model.

In the past year, while maintaining its role in the high-volume general aviation market, the company has secured multiple deals to supply the unmanned version of its flagship eVTOL aircraft, Air One, for cargo purposes.

Concluding 2023 with over $1m in revenue, the additional purchase orders have boosted the company’s revenue projections for 2024 and 2025. Having already delivered the first cargo aircraft, AIR is set to continue fulfilling the purchase orders for the remaining Air One Cargo units throughout 2024 and the first half of 2025.

Driven by market demand and backed by purchase orders, AIR developed the unmanned eVTOLs for cargo use-cases, in addition to its manned, personal-use variant. The growth in revenue since AIR’s expansion into cargo and logistics demonstrates its promise as it continues pursuing mass eVTOL production.

Air One Cargo is said to bolster the maturation of AIR’s products and design concepts, contributing valuable flight hours towards safety verification. Additionally, the cargo aircraft aids in achieving scaled production volume, leveraging AIR’s automotive-based production line, methodologies and automated manufacturing systems.

“Venturing into this new market with Air One Cargo is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the integration of eVTOLs into all spheres of daily life, for a variety of use cases,” said Rani Plaut, CEO of AIR. “We expanded our offerings in response to strong market demand, and the feedback we’ve already received affirms that Air One’s robust capabilities and simple, cost-effective design make it an extremely agile platform, uniquely able to scale across different uses.”

Capable of taking off and landing vertically while carrying a 250kg payload, the all-electric Air One Cargo offers a practical long range on a single charge at speeds comparable to the manned passenger variant.

This offering marks the latest milestone for AIR, which announced its participation in the US Air Force’s AFWERX Agility Prime programme in December to drive flight testing and additional R&D efforts in the USA. AIR is continuing to amass significant flight test hours with its full-scale prototypes after proving all phases of flight. With 1170 Air One vehicles for personal use already reserved via pre-order and a waiting list, AIR plans to deliver the first batch of aircraft to consumers following aircraft certification.

Founded by Chen Rosen, Netanel Goldberg and Rani Plaut, AIR (www.airev.aero) says it is paving the way for a cleaner, more thrilling future of mobility, affording everyone the freedom to fly.