The number of eVTOL vehicles,
including electric aircraft and drones,
is expected to grow signicantly in the
coming years. In so-called megacities
like New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo,
the development of air taxis and air
ambulances is already underway to
bypass dicult trac conditions. The
urban air mobility (UAM) market is
expected to increase momentum from
2030 onwards, with the addressable
UAM market being worth around $9
trillion by 2050.[4]
The use of eVTOL vehicles for
commercial deliveries is also set
to grow exponentially. The world’s
rst commercial drone delivery was
completed by Domino’s Pizza in
2016. By 2026, more than one million
drones are expected to be carrying
out retail deliveries.[5] Major players
in the delivery and logistics industries
– including UPS, FedEx, DHL, and
Amazon – have also been investing in
eVTOL technology for years.
Aside from the logistical issues caused
by increased road trac, there are also
environmental issues and air quality
concerns to consider. Road travel
currently accounts for 15% of the
total global CO₂ emissions,[6] whereas
commercial aviation is responsible for
around 2.5%.[7]
Aerial vehicles are being considered
as greener alternatives to internal
combustion engine (ICE) road
vehicles. Ground vehicles are currently
responsible for 29% of all greenhouse
gas emissions in the USA, but drones
powered by an electric motor and
lithium-ion batteries will produce far
fewer greenhouse gases throughout
their lifetime than fossil fuel-powered
road vehicles.
[1] UNFPA, Population Data Portal
[2] The World Bank, Urban Development, 6 October 2022
[3] IATA, Our Commitment to Fly Net Zero by 2050 [4] eVTOL/Urban Air Mobility TAM Update: A Slow Take-O,
But Sky's the Limit, Morgan Stanley, 6 May 2021
[5] Why Flying Drones Could Disrupt Mobility and Transportation Beyond COVID-19, Gartner, 19 May 2020
[6] Our World in Data, Cars, planes, trains: where do CO2 emissions from transport come from? 6 October 2020
[7] Our World in Data, Climate change and ying: what share of global CO2 emissions come from aviation?
22 October 2020
3NEXT GENERATION & SUSTAINABLE AVIATION