Eve Air Mobility, the eVTOL subsidiary of Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer Embraer, has signed a letter of intent with Kenya Airways’ subsidiary Fahari Aviation. The deal includes a pre-order for up to 40 of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft, with deliveries expected to start in 2026.
The agreement will also see the groups form a working group to conduct joint studies to develop and scale the urban air mobility (UAM) market, as well as a business model for cargo drone operations in Kenya.
This recent partnership builds off of the eVTOL developer’s existing relationship with Fahari, when the two partnered last year to develop a UAM network for Kenya Airways’ customers.
“This is a new chapter of the Eve and Fahari Aviation partnership to strengthen both companies’ commitment to establishing the foundations that will sustainably support the ecosystem for urban air mobility in Kenya,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve. “Last year, we announced a collaboration to develop operational models for Fahari Aviation’s key markets, and this announcement confirms that it is evolving successfully.”
Fahari Aviation is the unmanned aircraft systems division of Kenya Airways, with an initial focus on applying drone technology in training, operations, and traffic management. The division is also tasked with developing innovative and sustainable transportation solutions to carry out passenger services, aerial sightseeing, parcel delivery, and wildlife protection.
“Urban air mobility is the future of transport and we are honoured to be the champions of this in the region,” said Allan Kilavuka, group managing director and CEO of Kenya Airways. “The journey to realise the dream of eVTOL vehicles in Kenya is on course, and the partnership with Eve is a key achievement for us as part of the strategy to adopt new technologies as a growth strategy for the sustainable development of Africa.”
