After years spent developing countless renderings, concept experimentation and tests, the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft industry appears poised to finally make its public debut.  

But which country will be the first to launch an eVTOL into service remains to be seen. Will it be the Middle East, where Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia have rolled out the red carpet for eVTOL developers? Or a mass event, such as the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, which boasts a dense advanced air mobility program?  

There are a handful of eVTOL developers which are already ahead of the pack, at least when it comes to the stage of technological development. The likes of Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, BETA Technologies, Lilium, Volocopter and Vertical Aerospace, are edging increasingly closer to certification and (provided they manage to secure a long-enough financial runway) entry into service. In the case of Chinese firms such as EHang and AutoFlight, some limited forms of certification have already been granted.  

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