Electra, UrbanV, and Signature Aviation Announce Strategic Collaboration to Unlock New Regional Mobility Ecosystem

Partnership integrates Electra's regional airplane that can take off and land in 150 feet with UrbanV-Signature's AAM infrastructure platform, combining next generation vertiports and global network of aviation facilities to enable a new model of point-to-point travel

MANASSAS, Va., July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Electra, the global leader in ultra-short hybrid-electric aviation, and the UrbanV-Signature Aviation infrastructure platform, which combines UrbanV's end-to-end vertiport development and operations capabilities with Signature Aviation's global network of private aviation terminals, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Together, the companies will partner to build the foundation for a new regional mobility ecosystem that connects people and communities in fundamentally different ways by enabling direct, point-to-point air travel that expands beyond traditional aviation models.

This new model of travel, called Direct Aviation, integrates aircraft, infrastructure, and operations into a coordinated system to enable seamless travel between communities – and this new partnership supports three essential elements of the ecosystem.

• Aircraft -- Electra's EL9 Ultra Short 9-passenger aircraft, capable of taking off and landing within 150 feet with quiet, efficient performance
  
  
• Infrastructure -- UrbanV's next-generation vertiports and Signature's global network of aviation facilities
  
  
• Operations & Access -- A coordinated approach to integrating these assets into regional networks shaped by real-world demand

Together, these elements enable the use of small, strategically located access points for the public's increased access to regional air services. The collection of Ultra Short access points will form a distributed mesh network, embedded into existing communities, destinations, and transportation corridors.

"Direct Aviation is about giving people the freedom to travel from where they are to where they want to go without the constraints of traditional aviation models," said Diana Siegel, Vice President, Commercial Programs at Electra. "Electra's Direct Aviation Market Outlook shows that tens of millions of regional trips are already happening every day across distances where driving is inefficient and traditional aviation is often impractical. This partnership is a major milestone in bringing together the infrastructure, operational expertise, and global footprint needed to make regional mobility faster, simpler, and far more accessible."

"Advanced Air Mobility will scale only if the infrastructure is practical, phased, and deeply integrated with the aviation ecosystem that already exists today," said Massimiliano Pane, Executive Director, UrbanV. "Together with Signature Aviation, UrbanV is building an infrastructure platform with deep aviation roots: from FBO electrification and airport-based AAM operations to dedicated vertiport networks and strategically selected off-airport sites. Electra's ultra-short hybrid-electric aircraft adds a powerful regional mobility use case to this platform and reinforces our shared objective of making AAM deployable, accessible, and scalable."

"The future of aviation will be defined by greater access, connectivity, and seamless guest experiences," said Derek DeCross, Chief Commercial Officer, Signature Aviation. "This collaboration represents an exciting step toward building a new regional mobility ecosystem that brings together innovative aircraft, strategically located infrastructure, and operational expertise to unlock more direct and efficient ways to travel. By combining Electra's breakthrough aircraft capabilities with UrbanV's next-generation vertiport vision and Signature's global network, we have an opportunity to help shape how regional air mobility is deployed and scaled around the world."

Under the MOU, the parties will work jointly to identify and develop Ultra Short access points along core demand centers. The goal is to move efficiently toward site-specific term sheets that define how this new model is deployed in practice.

Addressing the Regional Mobility Gap

The collaboration targets one of transportation's most persistent challenges: the regional mobility gap. Today, many journeys between cities and regional destinations, especially trips of roughly 50 to 250 miles, which are poorly served by existing options. Travelers are often forced to choose between long drives through congestion or difficult terrain, indirect flights through major airport hubs, and travel times that are disproportionate to the distance traveled.

Electra's just-released Direct Aviation Market Outlook underscores the scale of the opportunity, identifying more than 35 million regional passenger trips per day across the U.S. and more than 6,000 routes with over 1,000 travelers per day, demand that is largely unserved by commercial air travel today.

Direct Aviation is designed to close this gap by connecting travelers more directly to where they need to go through intercity connectors, leisure launchpads, airport feeders, and small community service. Through this collaboration, the companies seek to:

• Dramatically reduce travel times between regional destinations
• Expand access to small communities underserved by traditional aviation
• Simplify travel by eliminating unnecessary connections and ground transfers
• Unlock new economic and social connectivity across regions

A Scalable Global Framework

The MOU is designed for repeatable deployment across a global network. By leveraging UrbanV's growing portfolio of vertiport developments, Signature's extensive global network, and Electra's aircraft platform and operational model, the partnership creates a scalable model for expanding Direct Aviation across multiple geographies and use cases, including both passenger and cargo operations.

About Electra

Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra) is an advanced air mobility (AAM) company building hybrid-electric Ultra Short airplanes that deliver unprecedented performance advantages to fly people and cargo seamlessly without airports, emissions, or noise. With the EL9 Ultra Short, Electra is pioneering Direct Aviation, the next level of connectivity that brings air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Electra's Ultra Short technology delivers 2.5x the payload and 10x longer range with 70% lower operating costs than helicopters and eVTOLs with significantly greater safety and far less certification risk.

Electra's team includes some of the most respected and successful entrepreneurs and engineers in novel aircraft design, with over 40 prior aircraft successfully developed and/or certified. Lockheed Martin Ventures, Honeywell, and Safran are among Electra's strategic investors along with Prysm Capital, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), and other private investors. Electra's contracted customers include the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and NASA along with over 2,200 letters of intent from 60+ commercial customers, including both airlines and helicopter operators.

About UrbanV

UrbanV is a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility infrastructure, specializing in the design, construction, and operation of vertiport networks for the seamless integration of eVTOLs into urban environments. Its mission is to pioneer commercial Advanced Air Mobility networks worldwide, bringing air transport to city centers through efficient vertiport management.

About Signature Aviation

Signature Aviation is the world's preeminent aviation hospitality company, offering exceptional experiences and essential support services to business and private aviation guests. The company's large-scale infrastructure footprint enables travel, fosters human connection and is a critical global economic driver. Signature operates an industry-leading network of private aviation terminals, with over 200 locations covering key destinations in 27 countries across five continents and is the largest distributor of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The company also offers over 16 million square feet of carbon neutral multiuse office and hangar real estate globally, providing unique networkwide benefits and advantages to guests who base their aircraft at a Signature location.

Media contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Electra.aero