On Tuesday, urban air mobility company Eve Holding, Inc (Eve) announced its first UAM simulation in Chicago, Illinois. The simulation event will happen over three weeks, starting with ground testing on September 12.
The North American event follows a similar series of experimental flights in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. That was in May when Eve used piloted helicopters to gather aerial data to evaluate various system technologies in urban scenarios. The Chicago simulation will use helicopters powered by Blade Air Mobility (Blade) as a substitute for an eVTOL. The simulation will mimic the complete UAM process, albeit with a helicopter, and the touchpoints needed for an urban service.
Flight testing will begin in mid-September, with weekday morning and afternoon flights. Seats will be available for the public to experience what commuting by an electric vehicle aircraft (EVA) or eVTOL will look like