Thousands of Electric Aircraft Ready for Riyadh Expo 2030

FlyNow Aviation, an urban air mobility startup from Austria, is gearing up to provide thousands of electric helicopters to enhance mobility and sustainability during the Riyadh Expo 2030.
Yvonne Winter, Chief Operating Officer of FlyNow Aviation, revealed these plans to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the 2024 Global Forum on Electric Vehicles and Mobility Technology held last week in Riyadh.
Winter mentioned that the company is set to establish a regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia within one to two months, alongside setting up an assembly line for local production and export to global markets from within the Kingdom.
FlyNow Aviation specializes in manufacturing, operating, and developing efficient, automated electric cargo drones and taxis, leveraging cutting-edge technology to ensure reduced manufacturing and operational costs.
Winter revealed that her company developed a family of electric aircraft known as “eCopter,” consisting of two types: a single-seat version and a dual-seat version capable of carrying passengers or cargo, with a payload capacity of up to 200 kilograms.
The aircraft include a fully battery-powered version currently capable of a 50-kilometer range for safety reasons. In the future, there will also be a hydrogen-powered version and a hybrid version combining both technologies, with the hybrid version offering a range of up to 200 kilometers and a flying speed of up to 130 kilometers per hour.
Winter described the eCopter as “extremely quiet.”
She emphasized the company’s focus on introducing a system to significantly improve ground conditions, especially in tackling traffic congestion.
Winter noted that while her company is finalizing the system, their initial rollout will prioritize cargo to minimize risks.
FlyNow Aviation seeks collaboration from various stakeholders—corporations, regulators, and government bodies—to shape laws, regulations, digital infrastructure, airport facilities, insurance systems, weather checks, and more.
The company plans to continue air freight operations for goods for the next two years, transitioning to passenger transport after completing hundreds of flights to enhance flying comfort and ease concerns.
She expects swift implementation, underscoring the importance of low-altitude economics, typically involving activities focused on civil aviation vehicles.
Moreover, Winter highlighted that the automotive industry of the past century will transform into urban air mobility in the future.
Saudi Arabia is poised to lead these transformations and the new economy in line with Vision 2030, she noted.
Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh will serve as a platform to showcase cutting-edge innovations, technologies, and contributions addressing global challenges across various sectors.
The event anticipates welcoming 40 million visitors globally, with a budget of approximately $7.8 billion.

Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim said that Saudi Arabia plays a pivotal role in achieving global climate-related goals, with more than 80 initiatives and investments exceeding $180 billion to develop the country's green economy, in addition to establishing its position as a leader in renewable energy.

In a speech he delivered during the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development 2024 in New York, Al-Ibrahim stressed that Saudi Arabia is working to enhance sustainability locally, and is following an approach that includes all aspects of the economy and focuses on people to achieve the latent potential, in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

“In Saudi Arabia, we realize that sustainable progress depends on creating and exploiting opportunities to improve the general standard of living and enhance the quality of life.”

Al-Ibrahim stressed the importance of developing a system for prioritization that enables countries to focus on the most effective policies and optimal solutions that achieve the maximum impact for the largest number of people within the shortest possible time to accelerate the pace of progress.

The Saudi delegation is participating in the 2024 High-Level Political Forum, which is being held at the United Nations headquarters in New York from July 8 to 18, under the slogan “Promoting the 2030 Agenda concerned with sustainable development and eliminating poverty in light of multiple crises.”

Thousands of Electric Aircraft Ready for Riyadh Expo 2030