Crisalion Mobility is the new name for UMILES Next, a Spain-based company that designs and develops advanced electric mobility solutions. Its all-electric Integrity aircraft is designed to carry up to five passengers and a pilot. It is suitable for passenger and freight transport on urban and intercity routes, and will be fully accessible for people with reduced mobility. Integrity has a range of 100km, a cruising speed of 180km/h and a top speed of approximately 216km/h. The company aims to make new mobility a real alternative for air solutions by 2030 and is backed by two major business groups in Spain, Grupo Ibérica and Grupo Valdemira, to the tune of more than €15 million.

Crisalion has a pioneering dual commitment to electric ground and air mobility and is developing solutions for both passenger transport and freight logistics. The company boasts its own technology, FlyFree, developed by research hub Tecnalia, which maximises aircraft stability and safety and has been tested successfully on European test flights.

The first indoor test flight was in 2019, and outdoor testing of the technology and specifications has been underway since September 2022. Features validated include automatic altitude control; automatic take off and landing; and U-Space integration. Going forward there will be ongoing testing with regular test flights leading to the start of the certification process.

The new company name reflects the growth and international challenge ahead, being a blend of two concepts: chrysalis and lion. The chrysalis represents the transition from ground to air, but is also a metaphor for the very real transformation underway in our world. Spearheading this metamorphosis takes tremendous courage, and not everyone is prepared to lead. The concept of a lion embodies the strength and leadership that is needed to build the urban and intercity mobility of the future.

During this process of rebranding and renewed investment, Crisalion Mobility has significantly grown its team, bringing on board seasoned professionals such as COO Óscar Lara and CTO Gustavo Rodríguez. Other appointments are set to be announced imminently.

"It is a source of great pride to see a relatively new company secure strong, determined growth in the market and position itself as a sector leader. Crisalion Mobility drives us, represents us and reflects the core attributes we have had since the outset. We are grateful to Grupo Valdemira and Grupo Ibérica for their invaluable support in this growth phase," says founder and CEO Carlos Poveda Rey.