Noemi Aerospace has secured €3 million from Innovation Norway to support the flight test programme for its electric amphibious aircraft, with the public funding matched by €4 million from private investors to create a €7 million programme.

The funding will support flight testing of Noemi's first aircraft, covering ground, water and flight testing from initial system tests through to first flight and the wider flight test campaign. The results will form the basis for certification and future commercial operations.

At Noemi's development and test facility at Torp Sandefjord airport, the company's first full-scale test aircraft is now being built. Wing production is underway, while the motors, inverters and battery systems have been installed. A test rig for the electric drivetrain is scheduled to enter operation in August.

Noemi expects to roll out the test aircraft within the next 12 months and complete its first flight by the end of 2027.

Designed to operate from both water and land without requiring new infrastructure, the aircraft is intended for regional passenger transport as well as cargo, medevac, search and rescue, military operations and firefighting.

Founder and CEO Eric Lithun says: “Not only are we building a new aircraft, we are developing a new Norwegian industry. The flight test programme is one of the most important phases of the project and where we will demonstrate the technology at full scale.

“Innovation Norway's support validates the progress we have made, reduces project risk and reinforces to investors and industry partners that this technology has significant international potential.”

Innovation Norway's director of financing, Leon Bakkebø, says: “This grant is the highest awarded to a single project so far this year and illustrates both the risk and the great potential of the project.

“Innovation Norway's role is to contribute where the market alone is not sufficient. For companies developing new technology with global ambitions, public risk capital can be crucial in unlocking private capital and moving projects into the next phase.”