The Elfly Group is developing a fully electric, nine-passenger amphibious seaplane in Norway. The NOEMI concept addresses a specific market gap: regional travel across water where ground infrastructure is limited.
The NOEMI concept: a nine-passenger, fully electric amphibious seaplane designed for regional routes.
Visit the Elfly Group Official WebsiteSpecifications & Mission
Capacity & Mission
• Passengers: 9 (or 1 tonne cargo)
• Range: Regional (100-200 mile target)
• Design: Amphibious (land & water)
• Construction: Advanced composites
Environmental Impact
• Propulsion: Fully electric
• Emissions: Zero direct
• Noise: Dramatically reduced
• Efficiency: 50% lower operating costs
Market Context
• Target: Aging seaplane fleet
• Opportunity: 70% of seaplanes >40 years old
• Flexibility: Unlocks new water-based routes
• Timeline: Commercial ops by 2030
Why This Concept Matters
Most operational seaplanes today are vintage designs or converted land planes. They're expensive to operate, noisy, and maintenance-intensive. A clean-sheet electric design addresses these limitations directly.
Norwegian Context
Norway leads in electric transport adoption and has geography ideal for testing—a long coastline with many islands and fjords where direct water routes make sense.
Operating Economics
The projected 50% reduction in operating costs could make air service viable for communities that can't support today's fuel-burning aircraft.
Operational Flexibility
Amphibious capability creates point-to-point routes across water infrastructure, potentially cutting travel times in archipelagos and coastal regions.
Technical Perspective: The nine-passenger size balances commercial viability with current battery technology limitations. This is designed as a properly certificated aircraft, not a scaled-up drone.
Development Timeline
Prototype Development
First Flight Target
Testing & Certification
Commercial Service
First flight in 2027 allows three years for the certification process required for a nine-passenger aircraft.
Imagined Applications for 2030
By the end of this decade, aircraft like NOEMI could transform regional travel in specific environments:
Island Networks
The Caribbean, Greek Isles, or Indonesian archipelago—where short hops between islands are currently served by aging, expensive aircraft.
Fjord & Lake Regions
Norway's fjords, Canada's lake country, or Chile's coastal inlets where road travel is circuitous but direct water routes exist.
Urban Water Transit
Quiet electric seaplanes operating on urban waterways like New York's East River, Sydney Harbour, or San Francisco Bay.
Looking to 2026: Concepts like NOEMI expand what we consider possible in aviation. They create space for regulators, investors, and communities to envision different infrastructure. That's worth considering as one year ends and another begins.