Eve Holding signed a letter of intent with Kenya Airways drone specialist subsidiary Fahari Aviation for up to 40 eVTOL vehicles in March 2022. The agreement includes joint studies through a working group to develop and scale the UAM market and a business model for cargo drone operations in Kenya. The project is expected to start deliveries in 2026.

Eve’s eVTOL lift and cruise vehicle is electric-powered and designed for efficiency and certifiability. Its multiple rotors are used to take off and land vertically, and at cruise altitude the rear propellers push the aircraft forward as in wing-borne flight, providing a low noise experience and making it easier to move within cities while avoiding traffic jams.

“Urban air mobility is the future of transport, and we are honoured to be the champions of this in the region. The journey to realise the dream of eVTOL vehicles in Kenya is on course, and the partnership with Eve is a key achievement for us as part of the strategy to adopt new technologies as a growth strategy for the sustainable development of Africa,” says Kenya Airways group MD and CEO Allan Kilavuka.

“This is a new chapter of the Eve and Fahari Aviation partnership to strengthen both companies' commitment to establishing the foundations that will sustainably support the ecosystem for urban air mobility in Kenya. Last year, we announced a collaboration to develop operational models for Fahari Aviation’s key markets, and this announcement confirms that it is evolving successfully,” says Eve co-CEO Andre Stein.

Fahari Aviation has been focusing on innovative and sustainable solutions to address different issues, such as traffic jams, sightseeing, parcel delivery, agriculture and wildlife protection, and Eve’s zero emission, low noise and accessible eVTOL, together with its global experience, will benefit the development of air mobility in Kenya.

Eve signed an MoU with Fahari Aviation in August 2021, to develop operational models for the wide accessibility of UAM and to establish the co-creation of a foundation of concepts and procedures to safely scale eVTOL aircraft. Eve is supporting Fahari Aviation in establishing its UAM network and collaborating on the required urban air traffic management procedures and operating environment. This partnership also allows Fahari Aviation to support Eve’s aircraft and product development process, which will help guide the integration of UAM with Kenya Airways’ overall operations.