AIR completes first uncrewed nighttime cargo flight with midsize eVTOL
May 26, 2025
AIR, the Israeli electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer, has completed its first uncrewed nighttime cargo demonstration.
The test flight, carried out at a remote site with limited infrastructure, saw AIR’s midsize cargo eVTOL aircraft successfully operated in the dark while being loaded and managed by ground staff with minimal prior training.
The demonstration aimed to finalise new standard operating procedures for nighttime use and verify the aircraft’s compatibility with ground operations under low-light, low-support conditions.
This is believed to be the first time a midsize eVTOL has completed a night cargo mission without a pilot onboard, AIR said.
The unmanned flight follows a series of tests for AIR’s logistics platform, which is being developed alongside the company’s piloted AIR ONE aircraft aimed at the personal aviation market.
According to AIR, the ability to carry out missions day or night, in isolated or infrastructure-poor locations, is critical to real-world deployment of eVTOLs for cargo applications.
“Operations don’t stop once the sun goes down. We recognised early on that ensuring safety and efficiency at night is just as essential as in the daytime,” said Rani Plaut, CEO and co-founder of AIR.
“We’re proud to have completed this rigorous round of nighttime flight operations showcasing that AIR’s eVTOL for cargo use is ready for 24/7 use. The aircraft adapts to almost any environment due to its simple ground handling requirements and the ease with which any ground crew can quickly get up to speed. The new SOPs we established lay the foundation for a future of uninterrupted, on-demand cargo mobility.”
The company’s launch customer was present during the nighttime evaluation and is expected to take delivery of additional units later in 2025.
Pictured: AIR ONE piloted full-scale prototype flight eVTOL
