Volar Air Mobility seeks to build electric aircraft in Abu Dhabi amid UAE's green transport push

Hong Kong-based Volar Air Mobility is aiming to build the RX4E fixed-wing electric aircraft in Abu Dhabi for domestic use and for export to markets in the Gulf, Middle East and North Africa, capitalising on the UAE's push for sustainable transportation and local manufacturing.

The RX4E electric short take-off and landing aircraft (eSTOL) can be used in the UAE for eco-tourism, pilot training, medical evacuations or supplies and border control surveillance, Hooi Hing Lee, chairman of Volar Air Mobility Holding Company, told The National on Wednesday. eSTOL aircraft are able to take off and land on shorter than average runways.

"Our road map is that we will be supplying the aircraft initially from China because there's an established production facility there, but our game plan is to eventually manufacture in the UAE," Mr Lee said.

"This will be a Made-in-UAE aircraft, which does not exist today, so we're trying to bring technology to enable the development of such an operation."

The company is hoping to use the aircraft not just in the UAE but also for re-export purposes into Mena and Gulf countries, Mr Lee said. "The potential is to export the aircraft to neighbouring countries and not just for domestic use."

Volar Air Mobility, a green air mobility technology company, was established in 2020. It purchased the commercial rights for the RX-series aircraft from research institute Liaoning General Aviation Academy in north-east China, which developed the electric aircraft. These include two-seater and four-seater electric aircraft and their seaplane versions that can land on water. In the pipeline is a hydrogen-powered variant of the RX4E aircraft.

On December 29, 2024, the RX4E four-seater aircraft secured type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The aircraft has more than 1,200 flying hours and completed 1,800 successful landings. With a wingspan of 13.5 metres and height of 3 metres, it has a range of 300 kilometres.

Last year, Volar signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi-based Inovartic Investment to explore partnerships to commercialise the RX-series of electric aircraft in the UAE. The two companies formed a joint venture entity called Volar Air Mobility Industries that is based in the UAE capital.

Volar expects to receive regulatory certification from the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) by the fourth quarter of 2025 to produce and operate the four-seater RX4E aircraft in the country, Saif Al Darmaki, chairman of Inovartic, told The National.

"We are building our capabilities now with manufacturers back in China to start the sales. So, we will produce small quantities from there to ship to this market to start our operations to do the sales, maintenance and operations. Later we will scale it up with an assembly line, most probably in Kezad," Al Darmaki said, referring to Abu Dhabi's industrial and economic free zones.

Production capacity will start with 30 aircraft and scale up to 200 over five years, he said. Phase 1 of the UAE production facility for Volar Air Mobility is scheduled to be commissioned by the first quarter of 2026.

While electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), commonly known as air taxis, have a longer timeline to achieve certification, the eSTOL aircraft like the RX-series are "about immediacy" and "within Q3, we should see those planes in operation", Mr Al Darmaki said.

The aircraft's 300km range means it can fly from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.

The company is in discussions for the use of the aircraft between the UAE's airports and to ferry tourists between Dubai and Hatta, Mr Al Darmaki said.

The move comes as the UAE strives to increase the contribution of its industrial sector to the gross domestic product, develop advanced technologies in manufacturing, introduce smart mobility into the mainstream market and work on sustainable transport systems.

eSTOL aircraft are a short-term solution that overcomes the challenges currently facing eVTOLs such as battery limitations, fewer rules governing urban air mobility, lack of infrastructure and high cost of flying, Mr Lee said.

Volar's mission is to chase three Es: Enabling communities around the world to develop a green aviation ecosystem (from developing aircraft to flying them), empowering communities to have access to green transport and educate communities about the merits of decarbonisation, he said.

"It's about how we influence our society to create meaningful social, economic and environmental impact, leveraging the power of technology."

The RX4E, which is powered by lithium-ion battery technology, is certified under Part 23 regulations, which means it is cleared for commercial use for fare-paying customers.

$12m aircraft order

Volar Air Mobility received an order from India's Vman Aviation Services for 20 of the RX4E aircraft, in a deal worth $12 million, it said on Wednesday.

The Mumbai-based airline consultancy and aircraft lessor is scheduled to get delivery of the first 10 aircraft in January 2026, followed by an additional 10 aircraft in January 2027, Volar said in its statement.

"We are excited to bring the RX4E aircraft to market, setting new standards for clean and efficient air travel," Mr Lee said.

The RX4E aircraft "represents a significant advancement in sustainable aviation, and we are eager to integrate this cutting-edge technology into our fleet", Vishok Mansingh, chief executive of Vman Aviation, said.

Markets from Indonesia to Latin America

The RX-series has uses in potential markets beyond the UAE, including in Indonesia, South Africa and Latin America, according to Mr Lee.

"We fundamentally feel that this aircraft addresses the pain points in many developing countries. In Indonesia, for example, there's more than 17,000 islands and it's impossible for you to drive between them. So we are offering an alternative to driving by enabling green aviation in these communities," he said.

eSTOL aircraft require shorter runways and have more landing options including on grassland, water and snow, making it a versatile option for remote communities, he said.

"We have potential buyers in Indonesia and we have potential buyers in Indonesia," he added.

The company also sees potential for using the aircraft as an air taxi in markets such as Egypt, the Arab world's most populous nation, and Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy and the destination that hosts millions of Hajj and Ummrah pilgrims.

The RX4E aircraft will be "priced comparably" to existing combustion fuel aircraft, said Mr Lee.

"The difference is operational and maintenance cost-wise, because there's no engine, it's significantly cheaper. It's probably about a third to 50 per cent cheaper operationally and from a maintenance perspective than conventional combustion."

Other market opportunities lie in small, remote rural communities where food and medicine is transported by small, light aircraft, and in island nations like the Maldives seeking eco-friendly tourism solutions.

"We are about green transformation and how we can delay climate change," Mr Lee said.