GE Digital signed a memo of understanding to collaborate with Varon Vehicles on the development of a solution for airspace efficiency, safety and predictive maintenance. This partnership builds on GE Digital’s work in analytics software to produce a solution to facilitate better routing operations in Latin America, starting in Colombia.
Varon Vehicles is developing an Urban Air Mobility transportation system with new enabling technologies using currently untapped airspaces in a confined and safe way. It consists of a series of Vertiports connected to each other via well-defined low altitude virtual lanes through which the company’s air vehicles will fly, without adding a burden on Air Traffic Control or mixing with traditional aviation. Varon Vehicles’ plan is to place their Vertiports both inside and outside existing urban structures to alleviate the pressure for city growth. They will provide transportation services to the logistics, tourism and medical markets and customers like governments and ride hailing companies for air taxi services, all without the need for physical construction. This project will initially target the cargo transportation and tourism markets.
“With plans for introduction of Urban Air Mobility operations in major cities, digital tools and systems will be needed to connect and monitor electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) in confined and controlled airspaces,” said Felipe Varon, CEO and founder of Varon Vehicles.
The collaborative solution will leverage Varon Vehicles’ new Urban Air Mobility system to create a connected ecosystem that addresses operational efficiencies while ensuring safe operations of this new form of urban and sub-urban aviation.
“Varon Vehicles is a great example of moving the industry forward as we all return to flight,” said Andrew Coleman, general manager of GE Digital’s Aviation Software business. “Sustainability is in their DNA with their focus on electric vehicles and we look forward to working with them on this ambitious project.”