Overair Joins Select Group of Electric Air Taxi Firms with Butterfly Prototype Rollout

The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design is built for passenger, medical, cargo, and military use cases.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 11:35 AM ET

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A first look at the completed build of Overair’s first full-scale Butterfly eVTOL prototype. [Courtesy: Overair]

Key Takeaways:

Overair has completed the build of its first full-scale Butterfly eVTOL prototype, with flight testing scheduled to begin early next year.
The Butterfly incorporates unique technologies like "optimum speed tilt rotor (OSTR)" for efficiency and "individual blade control (IBC)" for safety and reduced costs, with IBC also securing a U.S. Navy contract.
Overair is pursuing FAA certification, working through G-1 Stage 3 compliance, with an expected service entry in 2028.
The company has established strategic partnerships for future deployment in markets such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles (for the 2028 Olympics), and South Korea, including preorders from Bristow Group and HeliKorea.

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A new full-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype is ready to spread its wings.

Overair, maker of the Butterfly eVTOL air taxi, said Tuesday that it completed the build of its first full-scale prototype aircraft, which is set to begin flight testing early next year. The company will start with vehicle-level testing at its Santa Ana, California, headquarters before moving the aircraft to its flight test facility in nearby Victorville.