Electric Power Systems (EP Systems) has entered into a letter of intent (LoI) with South Korea-based hybrid eVTOL company Plana. Plana will deploy EPS's battery system for its commercial hybrid eVTOL aircraft, which is targeted for commercialisation in 2028.

"Plana has been named one of the top eVTOL development programmes to watch,” says CEO Nathan Millecam. “We are thrilled that the Plana team has put their trust in us and are excited for this exciting collaboration.”

EPS adds Plana to a growing list of customers that includes NASA, the FAA, Boeing, Safran and Supernal. The company also provides its electric powertrain system to NASA's X-57 aircraft, Boeing's CAV (cargo air vehicle) and Bell Helicopter's hybrid advanced air mobility aircraft Bell Nexus.

Plana, founded in July 2021, is the sole hybrid eVTOL startup in Korea. It is developing a four to six passenger, piloted vehicle that has a cruising speed of 300 km/h (maximum 350 km/h) and flight range of more than 500km.

Plana plans to finish the pure battery-based eVTOL subscale test this year and introduce a 700kg weight half scale model next year. It plans to launch a branch office in the US for closer communication and to start the certification process with the FAA, and to participate in the Korean Grand Challenge UAM demonstration project organised by the Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT).

Plana is accelerating its advanced air mobility business with collaboration and research and development expertise from numerous partners across the aerospace industry such as Airbus, Collins Aerospace, Turkish Aerospace Industries and Korea Aerospace Industries, and from the automotive industry with Hyundai Motor Company, Honda Motor Company, Mando, Autoliv and Valeo.

“It is quite a meaningful moment for Plana to sign this letter of intent with EPS, which has established a reputation in the electric aviation industry for its expertise and reliable systems,” says CEO Braden J Kim.