EA Maven
23 July 2026
Zero emission flight demonstrator competition: round 1 successful projects - GOV.UK
AeroTesseract analysis will assess demand, route viability, aircraft utilisation and the wider benefits of electric flight across Scotland
NEWBURY, July 2026 — Electric Aviation Maven Ltd, EA Maven, will undertake detailed market, demand and network analysis for Project SEAN, the Scottish Electric Aviation Network, following confirmation of £1.5 million in Department for Transport funding for the consortium-led initiative.
Project SEAN will bring together Bristow Helicopters, BETA Technologies, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, Skyports Infrastructure, EA Maven and the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership to explore how electric aircraft can strengthen regional connectivity, support sustainable air services and serve communities across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands.
The project will include demonstration flights using BETA Technologies’ all-electric ALIA CX300 aircraft, operating from a proposed hub at Inverness Airport and connecting with selected regional airports. The flight programme will gather practical evidence on aircraft operations, charging infrastructure and airport readiness.
EA Maven will complement the operational demonstration by assessing the potential commercial market for electric regional aviation across Scotland.
Using its proprietary AeroTesseract platform, EA Maven will undertake detailed analysis of potential passenger, cargo and medical-service routes. This will include market assessment, demand modelling, network planning, scheduling and revenue forecasting to identify where electric aircraft could provide commercially viable and socially valuable regional services.
The analysis will assess:
• potential origin and destination markets for electric regional aviation
• passenger demand and the propensity to transfer from existing surface and air transport modes
• route frequencies, schedules and achievable load factors
• aircraft numbers, utilisation and operational productivity
• potential operator revenue and route profitability based on direct operating cost assumptions
• airport and regional hub opportunities
• electricity and charging requirements associated with the forecast network
• passenger time savings and the corresponding economic value of time saved
• potential carbon-emission reductions
• estimated car journeys that could be replaced or avoided through improved regional air connectivity
EA Maven will also develop additional AeroTesseract capabilities to support the project, including enhanced airport catchment analysis, assessment of passenger leakage to competing airports, identification of potential regional hubbing opportunities and analysis of aircraft stand requirements.
These tools will help the consortium move beyond testing whether an electric aircraft can operate successfully on individual sectors. They will support a wider assessment of where commercial electric aviation services could be sustained, how the network might develop and what infrastructure would be required to support future growth.
Darrell Swanson, Co-Founder and Director of EA Maven, said:
“Project SEAN provides an important opportunity to combine real-world aircraft operations with detailed evidence on the commercial potential for electric regional aviation.
“The demonstration flights will help the consortium understand how the ALIA CX300 performs within Scotland’s regional aviation environment. EA Maven’s role is to assess where services could operate, how much demand may exist, how aircraft could be scheduled and what would be required to develop a viable network.
“Scotland’s geography, dispersed communities and established regional airport network make it an ideal location to demonstrate the potential of Distributed Aviation. Through AeroTesseract, we will assess not only the routes flown during the project, but the wider network opportunity that electric aircraft could unlock across the Highlands and Islands and beyond.”
The analysis will provide evidence-based outputs to support airports, operators, public authorities and infrastructure providers considering the future introduction of electric regional aviation services.
Project SEAN is expected to support a clearer understanding of how electric aircraft could strengthen regional connectivity, reduce transport emissions and make better use of Scotland’s existing airport infrastructure, while identifying the practical and commercial steps required to progress towards sustained operations.
About EA Maven
Electric Aviation Maven Ltd is a specialist aviation consultancy focused on Advanced Air Mobility, Regional Air Mobility and Distributed Aviation.
EA Maven provides market assessment, demand modelling, network planning, scheduling, revenue forecasting, infrastructure analysis and commercial due-diligence services to airports, aircraft manufacturers, operators, investors and public-sector organisations.
Its proprietary AeroTesseract platform combines market analysis, demand modelling and operational scheduling to assess the potential commercial performance of new regional and urban aviation networks.
For further information, visit www.eamaven.com.
Media contact
Darrell Swanson
Co-Founder and Director
Electric Aviation Maven Ltd
darrell@eamaven.com
www.eamaven.com
Consortium launches Project SEAN to advance electric aviation across Scotland's Highlands and Islands: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consortium-launches-project-sean-to-advance-electric-aviation-across-scotlands-highlands-and-islands-302833613.html?tc=eml_cleartime
