Lost velocity: Will we still see eVTOLs in Australia?

 As industry engagement in the once-burgeoning Australian air taxi market dwindles – at least publicly – Hannah Dowling assesses current industry expectations.

Like a fast fashion trend cycle, anyone plugged into the aviation industry in recent years has seen the wax and wane of conversation around the commercialisation of air taxi systems, namely electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, both Down Under and abroad.

Between 2019 and 2022, headlines spread across the country, suggesting Australia’s biggest cities could see eVTOL air taxis running regularly between major commuter centres as soon as 2025. However, the ‘buzz’ around air taxis took off in 2021, when the Queensland government revealed its support efforts towards an operational air taxi system in Brisbane by the 2032 Olympic Games, through an initial partnership with Melbourne-based eVTOL landing site company Skyportz. Later, it was announced that air taxi systems could be used to transport Olympic spectators from stadiums to the South-East Queensland region through a partnership with eVTOL manufacturer Wisk Aero.