Eve Air Mobility launches traffic, network software Vector
Eve Air Mobility launched its urban air traffic management (UATM) software Vector at the Airspace World in Geneva to address the air traffic and network management needs of AAM operations.
The company said that it is quickly advancing towards an operational version of the software which customers can test and trial to help progress the market.
“Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft flights will become an established transportation mode for communities worldwide … Vector will streamline AAM operations from day 1, coordinating all stakeholders involved to enhance safety, optimise performance, and maximise resource usage,” said Johann Bordais, CEO, Eve.
The company said that Vector will allow eVTOLs to be integrated with other aircraft flying in low-level urban airspace from day 1 of operations and provide the automation needed to enable UAM market scalability.
Eve has 14 customers for Vector, including fleet operators, vertiports and airspace and flow management providers.
The company said that it partnered with FlexJet in November 2023 to conduct a simulation to validate and refine Vector’s capabilities under real-scenario conditions.
The simulation took place in the UK and involved 18 flights across eight aerodromes, exercising 26 different routes with alternative landing locations to test the standby flight plan functionality.
The team also tested delays at departure and destination with impacts on incoming flights, flight cancellations due to airspace and weather constraints, and in-flight emergencies, including alternative landing location requests.
The simulation found gaps between current ATM systems and those required to support UAM operations, such as the lack of integration between fleet and vertiport operator systems to coordinate eVTOL flights safely and efficiently.
Therefore, Eve is working on developing services that address these gaps, including integrated flight planning with airspace and vertiport resource availability, management of alternate landing locations built into the flight planning to support the endurance limitations of electric aircraft; and conformance management to inform stakeholders when flights deviate from their plan and may affect other flights.
Eve said that with the development of Vector, the company will seek additional opportunities to trial the solution with its customers and partners.
