Norwegian electric seaplane developer Elfly announced on January 19, 2026, that it has closed a deal with Florida-based zero emissions mobility operator UrbanLink for 10 NOEMI amphibious aircraft plus another 10 options. The value of the contract could reach $200 million.
In conversation with AeroTime, the CEOs of both companies, Eric Lithun of Elfly and Edward Wegel of UrbanLink, said the all-electric technology being built by the Norwegian will be ideal for the operational conditions of Florida.
While Lithun mentioned the year-round favorable weather conditions, Wegel highlighted the very low environmental impact of electric aviation – and not just on the emissions front. Traditional aviation, Lithun said, represents a very real contamination risk for fragile tropical natural habitats, through fuel and oil leaks and noise pollution. In an all-electric aircraft like the NOEMI, these factors are reduced to practically zero.
Potential markets for the NOEMI in North America
When it comes to the business case, UrbanLink is eyeing primarily the intra-Florida market, with the possibility of linking Miami to nearby Caribbean markets, such as the Bahamas. The idea is to link some of the state’s key transport and vacation hubs with each other, such as Miami International Airport (MIA), Palm Beach, and the large cruise ship terminals at Port Miami and Port Canaveral.
UrbanLink is also working with the main cruise operators to offer links between South Florida and the private islands many of them operate in the Bahama keys. These would not only carry leisure passengers, but also staff and supplies.
Wegel also stated that UrbanLink is interested in a longer-range version of the NOEMI that could potentially reach places in upstate Florida, such as Jacksonville.
Regarding this suggestion, Lithun said: “At the moment our business proposition is based on an aircraft with a 200km range. A longer range is feasible, but we prefer to under promise and overdeliver.”
It is worth noting that UrbanLink also has a leasing agreement in place for 10 units of the eVTOL version of the BETA Technologies ALIA CX300 all-electric aircraft and is also in conversation with REGENT with the view of deploying the electric Seaglider wing-in-ground vehicle on coastal routes.
UrbanLink’s Wegel explained that he views all of these types of aircraft, including the NOEMI, as complementary to one another for different types of missions. He used Uber as a benchmark to illustrate the type of market UrbanLink is addressing. In this regard, Wegel noted that with electric aviation it will be possible to operate between Miami International and Palm Beach, a distance of around 70 miles, at prices that are competitive with the popular ride-hailing service.
If successful, Wegel sees demand surging across the Caribbean, with UrbanLink already assessing opportunities in places such as Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. If political circumstances change, he stated, even Cuba could become a suitable market.
The road ahead
This was not the only time that geopolitics came up during the conversation. The deal has been announced at a time when the rift between the US and Europe regarding the future of Greenland appears to be getting worse, placing the Nordic countries in a particularly tight spot.
Elfly’s Norwegian founder appeared undaunted by the situation, noting the long history of collaboration between the US and Europe, He also referred to the impossibility of conditioning long-term planning, such as that required by novel forms of electric aviation, to the rollercoaster of daily politics.
No specific timeframe has been given for the delivery of these aircraft, although Lithun reiterated his goal of bringing the aircraft into service by 2030. The delivery calendar will, in any case, be dependent on Elfly obtaining type certificate for the NOEMI amphibious aircraft.
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