Encouraging the development of an integrated ecosystem of partners, Bell has joined the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium (CAAM) in its effort to establish Canada as a global leader in advanced air mobility. The multi-stakeholder group created by the Canadian Air Mobility and National Research Council of Canada (NRC) will streamline research, development and commercial operations in the AAM sector.

Bell's Innovation teams are currently developing and testing the Autonomous Pod Transport (APT), a tail-sitting, eVTOL vehicle capable of moving 70 lbs of goods through autonomous flight. The groundwork for Bell's new platform was developed in the Bell Textron Canada facility in Mirabel, Quebec.

Bell's innovators in Fort Worth and Mirabel are working to create a new on-demand delivery solution for consumers, warfighters and medical personnel. In collaboration with NASA, APT recently flew a pre-programmed 10-mile circuit path in Fort Worth through complex air space, collecting detect and avoid data while demonstrating its beyond visible line of sight flight capabilities. The innovation team in Mirabel also played a key role in testing the rotating ducts for the Bell Nexus 4EX, which was showcased at CES 2020.

As an investing member of the CAAM, Bell says it is thrilled to lend expertise to industry and government partners to develop an integrated AAM ecosystem in Canada. Paving the way for innovation like APT entails close collaboration and an open conversation about the associated infrastructure, regulatory, operational and technology needs. Through these partnerships, Bell is moving closer to redefining mobility and bringing advanced vertical lift solutions to urban regions, like Vancouver.

“We've established an outstanding group of strategic members to support the design, integration and implementation of Advanced Air Mobility in Canada,” comments JR Hammond, founder and CEO, Canadian Air Mobility and executive director, CAAM. “We look forward to demonstrating the economic viability, environmental benefits and social inclusivity factors of this technology and making Canada a world leader in AAM. To that end, we welcome additional members who share our vision that AAM provides the path toward a safer, healthier and more efficient mode of transportation.”