Urban Movement Labs (UML) has added a new partner to explore urban air mobility (UAM) operations in Los Angeles.
Aviation service provider Helinet is the latest company to join UML’s roster of UAM partners, which includes eVTOL developers Archer, Supernal, and Volocopter, as well as others in the advanced air mobility industry.
First introduced in December 2020, the Urban Air Mobility Partnership is aimed at defining what the future of air mobility will look like in Los Angeles.
Through the partnership, Helinet will look at how it could integrate eVTOL aircraft into its own operations, exploring ways to reduce the impact of its operations on communities and enhance safety and efficiency.
“Helinet values the benefits of new eVTOL technology, which can positively impact the environment and mitigate noise impacts on local communities,” said Kathryn Purwin, CEO at Helinet. “This partnership with UML will let us explore route opportunities, charging station technology implementation, and the testing of advanced air mobility aircraft.”
Helinet transports more than 900 organs a year, and is the primary helicopter provider for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The partners expect Helinet’s experience in this area, as well as its experience in parcel delivery, aerial firefighting, chartered passenger services, and filming, will help inform future policy and regulatory decisions related to aerial operations and ground-based infrastructure needs.
“Additionally, the social-focused use cases, such as transporting critically ill children to hospitals, organ delivery, and firefighting missions, represent a huge value to the partnership members,” said Sam Morrissey, executive director at Urban Movement Labs, about Helinet joining this partnership.
