AAM Report 2025: APAC OEM Overview

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), defined by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is an air transportation system that will operate and transport passengers or cargo at lower altitudes in urban, suburban, and rural areas. This section focuses on passenger-grade Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles as they provide an alternative solution for people to get around sustainably.

Globally, more than 1,140 eVTOL design concepts had been proposed by September 2025. China—one of the few nations to include eVTOLs in official government reports—now has more than 70 enterprises engaged in the field (including unmanned models). Between 2024 and 2025, the rapid expansion of participants in the manned Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector attracted significant market attention and spurred notable growth among domestic manufacturers.

Based on this landscape, we analyzed 48 manned eVTOL products launched by 43 Asia-Pacific manufacturers before 2025. These products are at varying stages of development: some have already obtained the CAAC’s “three certificates” – Type Certificate (TC), Production Certificate (PC), and Airworthiness Certificate (AC) – some are in intensive prototype test-flight phases; and others remain in the scaled-model verification stage, testing core performance elements such as aerodynamic layout and power systems.

Product Configuration and Corporate Background
In terms of core design, manned eVTOLs fall into three main categories, with relatively balanced representation: Vectored Thrust configuration (37.5%) – achieves vertical takeoff/landing and forward flight via rotating rotors. Multicopter configuration (31.25%) – relies on multiple rotors for lift. Lift + Cruise configuration (31.25%) – combines fixed-wing efficiency with rotor-based vertical lift, balancing range and takeoff/landing flexibility.

The 43 manufacturers can be grouped into three backgrounds, each shaping their design priorities:

• Automotive background (four companies) – Leveraging mature automotive manufacturing systems, emphasizing “ground–air scenario integration” (e.g., ground transfer adaptation, user journey connectivity) and reuse of automotive supply-chain resources (lightweight materials, electronic control systems) to facilitate mass production and cost reduction.
• Drone background (10 companies) – Building on expertise in unmanned systems, enabling rapid prototyping, iterative optimization, and early commercialization in cargo transport (payload control, route planning). This allows a smoother technology transfer from cargo to manned eVTOLs.
• Aviation design/manufacturing background (29 companies) – Developing eVTOLs following traditional aviation R&D logic, with a strong focus on safety redundancy (redundant avionics, fault-tolerant design). Founding teams often have military aircraft R&D experience or backgrounds in civil aviation firms like COMAC, yielding deeper familiarity with airworthiness standards.

Regional Distribution and Scenario Positioning

Within Asia-Pacific, China is the central hub for manned eVTOL manufacturers. Other key countries include Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia. Notably, South Korea’s Supernal (founded in 2019 under Hyundai Motor Group) — once highly anticipated — has suspended its manned eVTOL project due to multiple factors.

Unlike traditional helicopters, which prioritize versatile, multi-role functionality, manned eVTOLs are often designed from the outset for specific use cases, with core parameters closely aligned to scenario demands:

• Inter-city transport – Core needs: low noise + medium-to-long range. Typical range: 200–300 km; seating: four to six (suitable for business travel and regional commuting).
• Aerial tourism – Core needs: low cost + short-distance flexibility. Typical range: 15–30 km; seating: two, often with autopilot to reduce pilot costs and improve operational efficiency.

It is important to note that published product parameters are a mix of test-verified data and theoretical design values (still awaiting flight validation). Moreover, variations in testing standards—such as whether passenger and fuel/battery weights are included, and differing environmental conditions (wind speed, temperature)—mean that key metrics like range and payload lack a unified industry benchmark. Moving forward, standardization of testing protocols will be essential.

Certification Progress and Pace of Commercialization

Industry trends show that most manufacturers maintain optimistic timelines for certification and commercialization, with several having already achieved key milestones: EHang commenced actual manned eVTOL operations in 2024. Adrige originally aimed to complete airworthiness certification by end of 2025, but as of January 2026 no public announcement of a certification was made. Companies including AutoFlight, Aerofugia, Flightwin, Volant Aerotech, TCab Tech, ZeroG, GOVY, SkyDrive, and SMD UAV target certification and commercial launch by 2026.

That said, some manufacturers are pursuing a cautious, “wait-and-see” approach. While engaged in technical verification for manned eVTOLs, they have chosen a “cargo-first, passenger-later” path: validating market demand and refining technology through cargo eVTOL operations before committing to manned models, pending further clarity on market factors like regulatory support and user willingness to pay.