Eve conducts full-scale eVTOL prototype flight for Brazilian President Lula

Eve Air Mobility, a leader in advanced air mobility solutions, successfully conducted a flight of its full-scale engineering prototype at Embraer’s test facility in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, for Brazilian government authorities, including Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The milestone marks further progress in Eve’s flight test campaign toward the future certification pathway of its electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The event was also attended by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos; the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho; the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) President, Tiago Chagas Faierstein; Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) President, Aloizio Mercadante; and members of the media covering the sector.

Eve continues advancing its flight test campaign, with its engineering prototype having completed 35 flights and accumulated nearly 1.5 hours of total flight time since its first flight in December 2025. The aircraft has reached an altitude of 140 feet above ground level (AGL), equivalent to 43 meters, establishing new program milestones and demonstrating consistent flight behavior under the tested conditions, including maneuvers with simultaneous inputs across three axes.

Preliminary results indicate efficiency gains, with propulsion and battery performance above initial expectations, while noise levels remain within projections, significantly lower than those of conventional helicopters.

Flights conducted to date have focused on low-speed operations (up to 15 knots, approximately 28 km/h), enabling validation of control laws, rotor aerodynamic efficiency, thermal behavior and the propulsion model. Eve continues to advance its campaign, expanding the flight envelope and testing at higher speeds.

“We are advancing with discipline and consistency in our flight test campaign, reducing risk and building the foundation for future certification flights. The results achieved in these first months following our initial flight in December 2025 reinforce our confidence in the aircraft’s architecture and our ability to deliver a safe, efficient and scalable solution for the urban air mobility market,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve.

In addition to flight tests, Eve has completed ground testing and related activities, including sensor calibration for measuring aerodynamic loads during flight. These efforts support the expansion of the aircraft’s flight envelope, enabling flights of up to 30 knots (approximately 56 km/h) in the coming days.

“Embraer has over five decades of proven expertise in aircraft development and certification. Applying this knowledge to Eve’s program reinforces our commitment to innovation and the future of sustainable aviation. We see significant potential in the global urban air mobility market and believe Eve is well positioned to be a leader in this industry,” says Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer.

Certification of the aircraft remains subject to the successful completion of technical milestones and approval by the relevant regulatory authorities.

In parallel with technical progress, Eve continues to support the development of the regulatory and institutional framework for urban air mobility. Last week, the company participated in the launch of a public consultation process that will inform Brazil’s National Urban Air Mobility Policy, led by the Ministry of Ports and Airports.

Eve is also supported by BNDES, which has provided more than BRL 1.4 billion in financing since 2022, and by Finep (the Brazilian Funding Authority for Studies and Projects), which has approved up to BRL 90 million in grants to accelerate Eve’s digital innovation and sustainable aviation initiatives.

The company continues to advance its portfolio of advanced air mobility solutions, including Eve Vector, its urban air traffic management software, and Eve TechCare, its aftermarket services and operational support platform, while actively engaging with regulators and public-private initiatives to foster the ecosystem required for entry into service and long-term market scalability.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 26th March 2026 | Issue #835