Airbus and Ecocopter to strengthen UAM presence in Latin America

Airbus has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ecocopter to expand urban air mobility (UAM) services in a number of Latin American countries with the intent to create a fully functioning UAM ecosystem in the region. Initially the partnership will involve the exploration and definition of launch scenarios for air mobility operations, predominantly in Peru, Ecuador and Chile. This will include joint activities to develop UAM operations over the continent, as well as ways to target first-use cases, pilot cities and regions.

Ecocopter has been connected to Airbus many years and currently operates a fleet of 16 H125, two H135 and three H145 Airbus helicopters, is characterized by their high versatility and perform missions ranging from offshore transport, mining support, medical evacuation, firefighting, and almost the entire range of aerial work missions.

Back in September last year, Airbus revealed its eVTOL prototype CityAirbus NextGen, to explore advanced air mobility technologies and bring urban air mobility services to life. With an operational range of 80 km and a cruise speed of 120 km/h, the aircraft has been developed for deployment in urban areas and beyond. Airbus is also working closely with industrial and institutional partners to lead the development of urban air mobility ecosystems, as recently announced with ITA Airways in Italy, or through the launch of the Air Mobility Initiative in Germany.