Two Scandinavian firms have joined forces to advance electric amphibious aviation.
Nordic Seaplanes, Europe’s only scheduled seaplane operator, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire five “Noemi” all-electric seaplanes (plus 10 options) from Elfly, a Norwegian startup which is developing a battery-powered seaplane. The estimated value of the order is $150 million.
Nordic Seaplanes will become the launch operator of the clean-sheet, zero-emission seaplane, which can carry up to nine passengers or an equivalent amount of cargo. Noemi is expected to enter service around 2030.
The two companies have also committed to work together in refining the design of the Noemi seaplane on the basis of the experience that Nordic Seaplanes has in operating De Havilland Twin Otter floatplanes between Denmark’s two largest cities: Copenhagen and Aarhus.
“There are two things we want to get rid of: carbon emissions and noise, and an electric seaplane will give us the chance to do so,” explained Nordic Seaplanes owner, Lasse Rungholm.
The agreement was signed at the ‘Nordic Horizons – Toward future flight’ event that took place in Copenhagen on September 24, 2024.
