With global infrastructure strained by rising demand and urban congestion, eVTOLs are rapidly emerging as a practical, scalable solution for modern logistics. Unlike conventional aircraft, these don’t require minimal infrastructure. 

Their vertical takeoff and landing capability allows access to rooftops, warehouse lots, and compact urban spaces—ideal for high-density cities where real estate is scarce. This isn’t just about speed. It’s about redefining how and where logistics can happen. Rather than displacing traditional delivery services, eVTOLs complement them—bridging logistical gaps in hard-to-reach areas or speeding up time-sensitive deliveries. 

“Cargo eVTOLs will become a core part of regional and last-mile delivery infrastructure,”  AIR CEO Rani Plaut predicts. “As ground networks become more congested and strained, aircraft like AIR ONE, capable of serving different use cases, will play a central role in building resilient, flexible logistics operations that can be deployed where needed, when needed.”

What automotive know-how brings to the eVTOL industry

While the eVTOL space is crowded with experimental models and flashy prototypes, the real test lies in scalable, cost-effective production. For AIR, a key turning point came with its partnership with EDAG, a German engineering firm known for decades of automotive production expertise.

“Partnering with EDAG marks a key inflection point in our production roadmap,” Plaut explains. “Their decades of experience in automotive design, prototyping, and production engineering allow us to bring proven, scalable manufacturing strategies into the eVTOL space.”

This collaboration signals a shift in how eVTOLs can be brought to market—not as handcrafted aviation projects but as mass-producible vehicles. EDAG’s influence introduces repeatable processes, cost-efficiency, and ease of maintenance, all hallmarks of the automotive industry but relatively new to electric aviation.

“Applying these methods enables us to rapidly transition from prototyping to series production with quality and consistency,” Plaut adds. The goal is to create a platform that’s as reliable and maintainable as any commercial vehicle, whether it’s flying cargo across a city or into rural terrain.

And the engineering choices back this up. AIR ONE’s production model features a new, simplified airframe designed for easy manufacturing, upgraded avionics, and a propulsion system optimised for both safety and diagnostics. “We’ve developed custom-made motors and batteries for this aircraft, which are optimised for its flight profile,” says Plaut. 

A new logistics layer 

AIR ONE’s design is tailored not only for the skies but also for the real-world environments it will operate in. Its folding wings and motor arms make it highly adaptable to space-constrained areas, giving it a distinct edge in urban or last-mile settings.

“This modularity makes AIR ONE an ideal candidate for last-mile operations in urban environments where space is at a premium and fast redeployment is key,” Plaut notes. In practical terms, this means AIR ONE can be stored in warehouse facilities, launched from rooftop pads, or stationed at compact logistics hubs—all without major infrastructure investment.

And it’s not just urban applications. The cargo variant, with 70 cubic feet of configurable volume, is designed for time-sensitive deliveries where roads end or are too slow. “We’re not aiming to replace ground logistics,” says Plaut, “but to complement them, offering a faster, flexible, and economical alternative for high-value, time-sensitive deliveries in regions where road congestion or geography is a constraint.”

The aircraft’s lightweight aluminium frame also strikes a careful balance between performance and cost. “Aluminium offers an optimal balance of structural integrity, weight savings, and cost-effectiveness,” Plaut says. “It’s well-understood and widely available; key factors for cargo operations that prioritise durability and uptime.”

As AIR gears up for its first 15 cargo eVTOL deliveries in the coming year, the aircraft will initially target sectors such as medical supply delivery, emergency response, and regional resupply for hard-to-reach areas. “Our high payload capacity enables transporting larger equipment and supplies, that today, small UAS do not have the capacity of lifting,” Plaut says.

A world of constraints

In an era defined by environmental regulation and urban congestion, logistics providers are under pressure to find cleaner, more flexible delivery methods. That’s where eVTOLs like AIR ONE enter the frame—not just as a technological novelty, but as a genuine operational shift.

“eVTOLs like AIR ONE eliminate bottlenecks, reduce noise pollution, and avoid road congestion entirely, addressing key pressure points for future logistics,” Plaut explains. With increasing policy and market pressure to phase out combustion-based delivery systems, eVTOLs offer a ready-made solution that meets both regulatory demands and commercial needs.

And the response from logistics providers has been clear. “Clients are looking for a solution that’s not only reliable and uncrewed, but also modular and cost-effective,” says Plaut. “We’ve gotten to the point where an unfamiliar ground handler can receive a one-page brief on the aircraft, and is ready to unload or load it up once it arrives.”

With remote piloting in place and full autonomy on the horizon, AIR’s cargo eVTOLs are designed for real-world deployment—high uptime, low infrastructure, and fast turnaround. As Plaut puts it: “Once production scales, our aircraft can provide a resilient logistics layer that operates independently of road networks. One that’s faster, cleaner, and capable of reaching the unreachable.”