Australia’s AMSL Aero Launches Vertiia Flight Test Programme

Australian eVTOL developer AMSL Aero has launched the flight test program for its long-range Vertiia eVTOL aircraft.

The aircraft, featuring eight electric motors and a tilting wing design, made its maiden flight this week in the Central West region of New South Wales. Vertiia completed a tether hover conducted by remote control in accordance with Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations.

The eVTOL is being targeted at customers in the aeromedical, cargo, emergency and regional air mobility sectors, with AMSL aiming for certification and deliveries in 2026.

The maiden flight marks a major milestone for the Australian company which has been developing Vertiia since 2017. Sub-scale prototypes of the vehicle have been flying for a number of years.

Vertiia has been designed specifically for Australian conditions and its long-range requirements. The vehicle will carry four passengers and a pilot at a cruising speed of 300kph up to 250km on battery power and 1,000km on hydrogen power – the latter three times the range of any other eVTOL under development. It will have a 500kg capacity in cargo configuration, while in an aeromedical role it will feature a paramedic and/or doctor and patient as well as a pilot.

“The Vertiia prototype flew better than we expected. It was remarkably smooth and a delight to fly,” says AMSL Aero CEO and Vertiia inventor Andrew Moore.

AMSL has Vertiia contracts with the Australian Department of Defence as well as a development partnership with Australian aeromedical operator, CareFlight. In Australia, the aircraft is seen as particularly suited to providing aeromedical connectivity, linking remote and regional communities with access to medical services.

“Unlike aeromedical aeroplanes that require a runway, Vertiia will carry patients directly from any location straight to the hospital, significantly reducing the complexity and time often required to transport vulnerable patients,” says AMSL co-founder Siobhan Lyndon. “It will also be quieter and safer than helicopters and will eventually cost as little as a car to maintain and run, transforming aeromedical transport into a far more affordable, accessible, safer and reliable option,” Lyndon adds.

AMSL recently received funding from the Australian Government’s Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships (EATP) program, which is aimed at encouraging and enabling the development and deployment of emerging aviation technologies in Australia to increase the competitiveness, efficiency and reliability of aviation. EATP funding will be used for a project focused on regulatory barriers to and trials of eVTOL-based air ambulance operations in regional New South Wales.

Vertiia will be on display at this year’s Avalon International Airshow in Victoria later this month.

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