Aviation accounts for around 2.5% of the world’s CO2 emissions.
Whilst air travel is here to stay, many bright minds are now focusing on how we can make flying greener.
We want to give some air time to 50 leaders in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry. Spanning eVTOL and drone manufacturers to educators and NGO workers, these leaders are some of the most influential faces driving transformative innovations in sustainable flight.
Rasha Alshami
LYNEports CEO and Founder
Rasha is the brains behind LYNEports, the platform that’s helping cities map and design vertiports. After scooping Aerospace Xelerated’s top prize at July’s Farnborough Airshow, she’s bringing airspace and groundspace together with digital twin tech.
Marc Allen
Electra.aero CEO
Marc is steering Electra.aero into the future with his hybrid-electric Ultra Short aircraft. Fresh off Electra’s first flight and NASA’s AACES 2050 award, Marc is also the chair of the world’s largest anti-slavery NGO—proving that innovation and impact can fly hand in hand.
Dr. Kelly Austin
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Senior VP Academic Affairs and Provost
At the world’s largest accredited aviation and aerospace university, Kelly is educating tomorrow’s aerospace pioneers. Flying sounds more fun than anything we had on the curriculum.
JoeBen Bevirt
Joby Aviation CEO
A man who needs no introduction… JoeBen, the “grandfather of eVTOL,” led Joby Aviation through historic milestones in 2024, from earning FAA Approval for its Flight Academy, to constructing Dubai’s first vertiport.
Dr. Yemaya Bordain
Daedalean AI CCO
At Daedalean, Yemaya is bringing AI to the cockpit and steering the development of safety-first tech that’s changing the flight deck game.
Alistair Blundy
Skyrisks CEO
Insurance may not be flashy, but Alistair is proving it’s essential. At Skyrisks, he’s crafting policies to de-risk AAM’s future and give innovators the confidence to fly higher.
Michael Cervenka
Vertical Aerospace CTO
Michael is putting the UK on the AAM map with Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 eVTOL. At the end of 2024, the team nailed untethered, piloted vertical take-off and landing tests, making Vertical one of only three companies worldwide to achieve this with a full-scale, winged eVTOL.
Kyle Clark
Beta Technologies CEO and Founder
A test pilot turned tech pioneer, Kyle is leading Beta Technologies’ charge to electrify aviation through cutting-edge charging infrastructure. Beta has already secured $1 billion from investors.
Keller Rinaudo Cliffton
Zipline CEO
From emergency deliveries in Rwanda to HIV care in Nigeria, Keller’s drones have over 50 million autonomous miles under their wings saving lives across the world.
Manoel Coelho
CEO and Co-Founder, Speedbird Aero
Manoel is taking drones from Rio to the rainforest. When Speedbird achieved certification from Brazil’s CAA, it became the first company in Latin America which is certified to operate UAS for transporting Category B substances.
Xiaopeng He
Xpeng CEO
Xiaopeng is turning car enthusiasts’s attention to the skies with Xpeng’s “land aircraft carrier”, a three-axle beast with a quadcopter that pops out the back and takes off. Xpeng plans to make 10,000 of these annually, starting now.
Carl Dietrich
Jump Aero Founder
Carl spent 2024 securing patents, accolades, and a Geely acquisition for Jump Aero’s rapid response aircraft. An MIT triple alum and Aviation Week 40 Under 40 honoree, he’s a role model for young innovators.
Richard Ellis
NATS Director
Richard is ensuring drones share the air with traditional aircraft without a hitch. At NATS, he’s rolling out smart solutions like digital flight approvals that turn weeks of waiting into minutes.
Freshta Farzam
LYTE Aviation CEO
Freshta is thinking big—really big. Her 40-seat SkyBus hybrid-hydrogen eVTOL has a size and range never seen before, making her one of the boldest voices in the push for sustainable mass air transit.
Sandra Formenton
eVertiSKY CEO and Founder
Sandra just supercharged urban air mobility by acquiring dual-use charging solution company Volatus. Now her $262M platform powers vertiports with tech that charges drones and EVs alike.
Joe Freedman
Drones for Good Founder
Joe’s drones are on a mission to save lives. From disaster zones to humanitarian crises, his technology is geared at positive change.
John Goudie
Slink Tech CEO and Founder
The architect of PORTAL, John helped launch one of the UK’s first vertiport testbeds, setting the stage for autonomous drone and air taxi operations in England and beyond.
Nikhil Goel
Archer Aviation CCO
From NASA to Google to Uber and now Archer (while founding Uber Elevate along the way), Nikhil has the dream resume. Now he’s steering Archer’s Midnight air taxi to redefine urban travel at 150 mph.
Patricia Nagata Hamza
Woven by Toyota
Patricia’s career in aerospace has spanned continents and industries, from leading EmbraerX to now steering Toyota’s innovative projects in Japan.
Mark Hiller
Recaro CEO
Mark is redefining comfort for the skies. With a deal to provide 75,000 seats for Eve eVTOLs, his designs are proving that sustainable travel can also be stylish.
Huazhi Hu
EHang CEO
With EHang’s autonomous passenger flights now a reality, Huazhi is turning AAM skeptics into believers. His company’s certified eVTOLs are proof that the future of urban mobility is closer than we think.
Paula Ingabire
Rwanda’s IT and Innovations Minister
When Rwanda became the first country in the world to use drones to deliver blood (with help from Zipline), it set a precedent for the integration of AAM into life-saving missions. Paula Ingabire has been upholding that precedent ever since, pushing for innovation in medicine from her government position.
Phil James
Drone to Home Founder
The story of how a former Close Protection Officer used his drone to start a pet-rescue mission. Five years later, Drone to Home has reunited over 5000 animals with their families through its drone rescue service.
Jenny Kavanagh
CSO, Cranfield Aerospace
With her knack for blending technical innovation and wit, Jenny is an ideal candidate to lead Cranfield Aerospace’s bold pivot to sustainability with the development of the world’s most power-dense hydrogen fuel cell system.
Kerissa Khan
Royal Aeronautical Society
Having already held two impressive titles at the Royal Aeronautical Society: president and youngest ever member of the council; Kerissa now focuses on promoting global collaboration in AAM, as laid out in her World Economic Forum here.
Eszter Kovacs
DroneTalks CEO
Eszter is an educator, inspirer, and communicator. Through DroneTalks, she’s equipping AAM professionals with the knowledge and skills to keep the industry flying high.
Lucas Marchesini
Manta Aircraft CEO
Lucas is steering Italian startup Manta Aircraft into new territories with a bold move into China, where he recently unveiled the ANN 6 hybrid-electric aircraft.
Katrin Mayrhofer
Advanced Air Mobility Institute Board Chair
Elected Chair of the AAM Institute’s Board of Liaisons last year, Katrin is instrumental to the institute’s mission to build public trust and advance safety, sustainability, and accountability in the sector.
Luiz Mauad
Eve Air Mobility VP Customer Services
Luiz is the tech mastermind behind Eve’s ambitious roadmap, launching the aftermarket services platform Eve Tech Care in 2024.
Dave Merrill
Elroy Air CEO
Once an engineer who built drones for aerial video, Dave has now introduced the world’s first autonomous turbogenerator-hybrid eVTOL aircraft to serve some of the most pressing natural and man-made needs.
Mark Moore
Whisper Aero CEO
Mark, a pioneer of distributed electric propulsion, has shaped the future of flight at NASA, Uber Elevate, and now Whisper Aero with loud opinions and quiet propulsion solutions.
Chuma Ogunwole
Pyka Co-Founder and COO
Chuma is leading efforts at Pyka to improve agriculture through eVTOL and make crop dusting safer and easier. He’s already secured $40M in Series B funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its dual-use autonomous electric aircraft.
Sophie O’Sullivan
Director of Future Flight, Civil Aviation Authority
Sophie is the dealmaker behind groundbreaking drone trials in the UK. Her work focuses on unlocking commercial applications like wind farm inspections, making the skies busier and better.
Richard Parker
CEO, Altitude Angel
Whether it’s enabling flights over historical landmarks or developing integrated airspace solutions, Richard is elevating the UK’s AAM game with his team at Altitude Angel.
Jason Pritchard
eVTOL Insights Executive Editor
From journalist to journalist, Jason is a great source of industry insight and uses his platform and events to bring people together across the sector.
Prathibja Rajashenkar
Senior VP, Innovation and Automation, Walmart
Prathibha is bringing drone delivery to everyday life. Her work has expanded Walmart’s reach to 1.8 million homes in Dallas, proving that convenience comes with innovation.
Jonathan Reynolds
Business and Trade Secretary, UK Government
Jonathan isn’t just talking about green aviation—he’s funding it. With £103 million invested in AAM technologies, he’s giving British innovators the boost they need to soar.
Sharon Rossmark
Women And Drones CEO
Sharon is a trailblazer for inclusivity in the skies. At Women And Drones, she’s creating opportunities for underrepresented voices to lead in AAM and drone technology.
Dr. Martine Rothblatt
United Therapeutics CEO, Chairperson and Founder
From eVTOLs delivering organs to advancements in sustainable aviation, Martine’s work bridges technology and humanity with visionary precision.
Jaiwonn Shin
Hyundai and Supernal CEO
Jaiwonn is steering Hyundai into the future of flight. With Supernal’s ambitious AAM projects, he’s showing how automotive giants can also dominate the skies.
Dan Sloat
Electro.Aero President
Dan is the ultimate AAM advocate and brings his enthusiasm for the sector to his NGO work as much as his leadership role at Electro.aero, which plans to deploy its first 240-kW charging station this year.
Billy Thalheimer
REGENT CEO and Co-founder
In his five years of leadership, Billy has led REGENT to secure an impressive $9 billion in orders and $90 million in funding for its zero-emission seagliders.
Michael Thompson
SKYFLY Technologies CEO and Co-Founder
After getting the CAA greenlight in 2024, SKYFLY’s Axe has started running manned flight tests with Michael at the helm- literally- he’s the first test pilot.
Carlo Tursi
UrbanV CEO
Carlo is laying the ground-work for eVTOL aircraft to operate in cities all over the world. Most recently he partnered with Cluster2 to build vertiports in Saudi Arabia.
Duncan Walker
Skyports CEO
Duncan’s vision is bringing vertiports to life. From one of the UK’s first testbeds at Bicester, to a growing global network, he’s setting the stage for British AAM to take off.
Michael Whitaker
Federal Aviation Administration Senior Administrator
Michael may be leaving his role earlier than expected, but his mark on AAM won’t be forgotten. Introducing “powered-lift” aircraft regulations was a critical step in making eVTOL aircraft safe, scalable, and operational.
Yvonne Winter
FlyNow Co-founder and COO
Under Yvonne’s leadership, FlyNow Aviation is developing a family of eCopters consisting of single, twin seater and cargo versions. The aircraft will automatically travel on pre-defined aerial routes, touching down on rooftop vertiports.
Andrea Wu
Urban-Air Port CEO
Andrea’s pragmatic approach to AAM led successes for Urban-Air Port in 2024, with three initial launch locations announced in Northern Italy.
Alison Wyrick
Honeywell Global Senior Director of Innovation
Alison is the driving force behind Honeywell’s ambitious AAM strategy, smashing revenue targets and delivering marketing wins while guest lecturing and volunteering on the side.
Brian Yutko
Wisk Aero CEO
Brian is championing Wisk’s bold bet on fully autonomous air taxis. It won’t be long until we see Wisk’s bright yellow aircraft in the skies at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
